Parents’ worry as kids face a ‘mental health time bomb’
CONCERN HOMESCHOOLING IS TAKING ITS TOLL ON CHILDREN
PARENTS have expressed concerns over a decline in their children’s mental health as partial school closures run into a sixth week.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson closed schools from January 5 as part of a national lockdown and has said the earliest date they can return is Monday, March 8.
But the longer children are off school, the more parents worry over their mental health.
Not seeing their friends and spending hours in front of a screen, home learning is all beginning to take its toll, with parents reporting their children are having difficulty sleeping and say they have become much more emotional.
Hull North MP Diana Johnson said she has spoken to several parents who have raised concerns, and described the situation as a “time bomb”.
Speaking in the commons, she said: “The children’s commissioner is a terrific advocate for young people and has highlighted the effect of school closures on children’s mental health and wellbeing for many months.
“Families in Hull North are struggling and, as a nation, we are storing up a time bomb of mental health issues for a generation.”
It comes as a survey by children’s mental health charity Place2be found nearly one in six parents rated their child’s mental health as “poor” or “very poor”– and 31 per cent said it is “worse” or “much worse” than before Covid-19.
Discussing the issue on the Hull Live – Family News page, parents shared their concerns.
Sophie Moncaster said: “It’s having a visible effect and not just on sleep patterns. “It’s worrying to think about the lasting effects.”
Danielle Allen said: “Yes, I think every parent is worrying now. It’s not so bad if they have siblings, but when it’s an only child, it is very very lonely for them. Especially those who have additional needs or don’t have access to internet to Facetime friends or even have the capacity to be able to do this.
“The schools need to be reopened, in my opinion, sooner rather than later. The children don’t just need school for education, but for their mental wellbeing, for the social aspect of life.”
Ruby Rivers said: “My nine-year-old has a phone, people judge me on that, my child my choice.
“But honestly after the year we have had I am so thankful that she has that and the majority of her friends do too because it’s meant she’s been able to keep in contact with people daily who she hasn’t been able to see for months and I absolutely think if she didn’t have that form of communication, her mental health would definitely have been affected.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said the Place2be survey shows just how concerned parents are that the Covid19 pandemic has negatively impacted their children’s mental health.
He said: “The pandemic places even greater urgency on the calls NAHT has been making for additional resources to support the mental health and wellbeing of pupils, including increased capacity of social care, health and other services to meet the growing demand and to reduce waiting times.
“Schools play a vital role in promoting good mental health and emotional wellbeing among pupils of all ages. All school staff should receive high-quality training to do this and to ensure that they are well placed to identify emerging mental health needs of pupils and can support and manage pupils with mental health needs in the school environment.”