William tells of his fears for children in lockdown
PRINCE William has warned of the impact that lockdown and being kept away from school could be having on children’s mental health.
In a video call to care providers, he said he was particularly concerned about the issue, despite families attempting to ‘muddle’ their way through.
He also expressed fears about their anxiety levels as a result of the pandemic generally, as well as the loss of family members to the virus, and highlighted the longterm implications of the economic outlook for school leavers.
The prince was talking to five professionals from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust in a Zoom video call.
William said: ‘I’m particularly worried as to how the young people are going to cope long term because we’re all muddling through this period.
‘But the long-term implications – of school being missed, anxiety levels, family members sadly dying and the sort of general economic outlook – do you think that will play heavily on your services and what they’ll need?’
Consultant psychiatrist Frances Doherty, who runs an inpatient mental health unit for teenagers, replied: ‘Interestingly, some of our referral rates have gone down but I would imagine that as we’re starting to come out of lockdown and people are starting to get back into the world again, [we’re] starting to realise just what we’ve been through and we’ll start to see our referral rate increase and the impact on our services.
‘What I think has been really helpful is a lot of work has been done to think about how young people can care for themselves, how parents can care for them, to help them to survive and to thrive even… through the pandemic. But I think it’s the other side of it that we’ll have all the challenges that you mentioned.’
William also raised the challenges posed by young children – he and Kate have three aged six and under.
Talking to child psychiatrist Dr Clare McKenna, he gave a knowing laugh when she said: ‘The children I work with don’t understand social distancing.’
To laughs from the other five participants – all women – William said lightheartedly: ‘That’s all children isn’t it? I don’t think any children understand social distancing.’
Dr McKenna said some of her staff had developed innovative ways to put vulnerable children at ease, for example by sticking pictures of themselves smiling on the masks or visors of their PPE.
Social worker Eimear Hanna said her staff had bought big teddy bears for the children to hug as they weren’t allowed to hug carers.
William laughed: ‘Everyone needs a hug, it’s very important Eimear.’ ‘They do! They do Sir,’ she replied.
At the end of the call, the prince said: ‘I would just like to say before I go that I’m hugely grateful for all you’re doing and hope enough people are saying thank you and appreciate all the hard work that not only you, but all your team are doing right now. You’re all making a huge difference.’
Meanwhile, the union opposing the reopening of schools in England at the
start of June has written to every head in the country warning they face legal action if teachers catch coronavirus.
The National Education Union (NEU) said schools could be pursued through the courts as its ups its campaign against the Government’s plan to get children back in classrooms south of the Border from June 1.
It comes as the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies today releases its safety advice on the reopening schools, which informed the Government’s decision. Union critics said the report would ‘remove all their excuses’ for blocking reopening.
NEU boss Kevin Courtney has already instructed members to obstruct heads, by accusing them of violating law and ‘threatening’ to denounce them on social media.
Letters have now been sent to every school in England claiming the decision to reopen is on their ‘shoulders’, claiming they could be liable if teachers catch Covid-19 in their schools.
‘We will be advising members of their legal rights should any member contract Covid-19 upon returning to school,’ the letter warns heads and college leaders.
The letter was denounced by school leaders, who said it was ‘not helpful’.
‘We believe it is important you fully understand the potential liability you are exposing yourself to by following the current deeply flawed guidance’, the letter, reported by Schools Week, said.