Fears for babies and parents after staff diverted to coronavirus care
BABIES AND their parents could be at greater risk as health visitors and perinatal mental health staff are being redeployed to help tackle the Covid-19 crisis, charities have warned.
Large numbers of staff from vital services that normally support parents and safeguard babies are being redeployed in some areas, according to mental health, family and children’s organisations.
More than 40 charities and professional bodies are calling on the Government to give urgent attention to young children and their parents to protect them from harm amid the outbreak.
The organisations, which form part of the First 1001 Days Movement, have warned of a “perfect storm” of increased risk and decreased support for babies and their parents as they say health visiting services, as well as mental
health support, have been scaled back.
In some areas of England, as many as half of the health visitors have been redeployed to provide urgent medical care and other services, according to the coalition of charities.
Perinatal mental health and specialist parent-infant teams have also been transferred to other health services as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. It comes at a time when the crisis is placing additional pressures on the mental health of parents with young children, the coalition said.
The joint statement, from charities including NSPCC and the National’s Children’s Bureau, said: “Across the UK, there are babies and children in lockdown in poor quality and overcrowded housing, with shortages of basic supplies, cared for by parents under immense pressure.”
The Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, added: “While thankfully babies and toddlers seem to be at lower risk of Covid-19 illness, we know that many are vulnerable to a host of secondary risks.”
She said lockdown places additional pressures on parental mental health, family finances and relationships.