CHILDREN IN LOCKDOWN: WHAT CORONAVIRUS MEANS FOR UK CHILDREN - Unicef UK
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CHILDREN IN LOCKDOWN:
WHAT CORONAVIRUS
MEANS FOR UK CHILDREN
Children’s lives have been turned upside down and local authorities. We are mandated by the UN to
by coronavirus. For some children, with the uphold the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,
right support and resources, the situation will of which the UK Government is a signatory, and in this
be manageable, but for others the effects of the capacity have undertaken a rapid assessment of the
pandemic will cast a long shadow over their lives. impacts of coronavirus on children and children’s rights.
The response to coronavirus already is exposing This briefing paper lays out the complex issues facing
the fragile situation that many children and young children and their rights, and the multi-layered way in
people live in. Hundreds of thousands of children which the coronavirus presents a growing crisis for the
who rely on school, health and social systems worst affected families. Coronavirus also presents a
and the support of the voluntary sector are being huge challenge for authorities straining to serve existing
left unprotected as these systems are weakened. needs whilst also facing unprecedented demand for
Thousands more, unknown to the system, will likely support. In response to these challenges, Unicef UK
find themselves in need of support over the coming draws on its global emergency experience to call for
weeks, but as yet remain invisible to authorities. greater coordination at the top of the UK Government to
ensure the voices of children are heard, that issues are
Every year, Unicef UK reaches over 2 million children identified and addressed efficiently, and that children’s
in the UK through its work with schools, hospitals rights remain a priority for all.
Snapshot of the effects on children’s rights
1. 700 million days of education will be lost between 4. Anxiety and stress from staying at home, coupled
now and summer, with alarming disparities in access with removal of coping mechanisms and reduction in
to resources and support at home likely to further support services is a worrying amalgam for children
entrench and widen gaps in educational attainment living with mental health difficulties.
between groups of children.
5. Thousands of children are at increased risk of
2. More children in the UK will face food insecurity abuse in their homes and online as pressure
as job losses and debt take their toll on family and tensions increase, online supervision decreases,
finances and access to sources of emergency and predators seek to take advantage of the situation.
food is under pressure from loss of donations
and volunteers. 6. Across the board, the voices of children and young
people have been absent from decisions made
3. New-born and older children’s access to about their lives. They have not been consulted
healthcare will reduce, as services are stretched, about the impact such decisions will have on them
limited or avoided, potentially storing up future and their future and have yet to be addressed directly
long-term health problems for children. by the UK Government.
© Unicef/Mead
M ATERNITY SERV I CE S
A N D INFANT NU T R I T I ON
Around 750,000 babies are There may be as many as 250,000
born in the UK each year. born during the lockdown.
For every child, early moments matter. The provision potentially affecting infant nutrition and maternal
of maternity care will be significantly affected during mental health.
the lockdown, with reduced capacity and new ways of
remote working introduced. The pressures on health Infant nutrition is essential for the health and
services are likely to drive increased risk for mothers development of babies. Evidence shows that
and babies. With expected staff shortages, support for breastfeeding offers many benefits, including protection
mothers following birth is set to be significantly reduced, from infection and reduced risk of obesity later in life.
Key concerns: impact on children
• Maternity units: There are concerns about staff • Impact on mothers: The loss of choice and the
shortages in NHS maternity units, with up to 1 in stress of giving birth in these circumstances will
5 maternity posts now unfilled. More than a fifth also increase the risk of postpartum depression
of midwife-led units have been closed due to a and anxiety among new mothers, while support
combination of staff shortages and the requisitioning following birth will also likely be reduced.
of units for treatment of coronavirus patients. • Infant nutrition: As staff across maternity
Snapshot
Antenatalof the
care effects
is also beingon children’s
affected rights
with more care services are reduced due to sickness and
appointments being carried out remotely, and some redeployment, support for new mothers to
missed altogether. In parts of the country, reports breastfeed will be significantly reduced. Many
suggest that home births have been stopped due new mothers rely on friends and family to provide
to insufficient midwife numbers and fears about support and advice, and professional or voluntary
sector services will also be unavailable during this
ambulance availability, while in other areas home
time. As a result, rates of breastfeeding may drop
births are being promoted to keep mothers away
substantially, leading to potential health issues for
from stretched hospital services. The pressures that
baby and mum.
these services face will undoubtedly increase the
risks for some mothers and babies.
© Unicef
LOS S OF EDUC ATI ON
Over 950,000 secondary
Nearly 10 million Over 700 million days
level pupils will not
children are out of school of education could be
sit external exams as expected
in the UK currently. lost across the UK.
this summer.
Every child has the right to learn. All schools in the UK inequalities that follow children throughout their lives, is
are closed until further notice, with around 10 million already a major concern in the UK.
students out of school for the foreseeable future. It
The closures will also have multiple secondary impacts,
is likely that school closures and loss of early years many of which are highlighted elsewhere in this briefing.
provision will widen the attainment gap, which sees These include exacerbated food insecurity and child
children from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve poorer protection vulnerabilities, as well as increasing physical
results at school. This gap, which can lead to entrenched and mental health risks.
Key concerns: impact on children
• The loss of nearly four months’ education: School Quality ECE is critical for establishing the building
closures will impact all children in the UK, but some blocks for learning. The foundation of education is
will be far worse affected than others. While some established before primary school begins. Short-
children will receive parental support and education, term closures and the potential loss of privately run
others will face considerable challenges to continued nurseries in the longer term are likely to contribute
learning at home. Children in families that cannot further to inequality in education outcomes.
afford resources for home learning activities, where
parents have low levels of educational attainment or • Refugee and asylum-seeking children: For this
are not fluent English speakers, or where there is group, who may have already had their education
inadequate disrupted by displacement, school closure could
Snapshot ofspace for effective
the effects on learning, will rights
children’s likely fall
behind during this period. cause further lasting disadvantage.
• Digital divide: Schools, and organisations like the • Impact of alternative examinations process:
BBC, have made many learning resources available The alternative arrangements for examinations,
online. However, around 7% of children do not have which require teachers to provide marks based on
access to a fixed broadband connection, and 2% do past performance and a ranking of pupils based
not have any access to the Internet at home. on marks and certainty of achievement, could
• Early years childcare: Early childhood education negatively affect students working to improve marks
(ECE) provides an essential service both in preparing or those groups historically affected by inaccuracy of
children for school and enabling parents to work. predicted marks.
© Unicef/Zhagiparov
C HI LD N UTRITIO N
Over 4 million children in the Around 1.7 million pupils are Around 215,000 children
UK were already eligible for free school meals received at least one foodbank
living in poverty. across the UK. parcel in 2018–19.
Families face uncertain financial futures as a result children under 6 have worried about running out of food
of the economic crisis triggered by coronavirus. For before they had enough money to buy more.
those already experiencing financial hardship, further
reductions in income, and the increased cost of having For these families, the additional pressures of children
children out of school, will exacerbate food insecurity. being at home instead of school, difficulties in buying an
appropriate range of foods within their budget, and the
Prior to the crisis, 10% of households faced food likelihood of job insecurity is likely to see many struggling
insecurity, affecting the quality, desirability and variety to maintain adequate nutrition. The pandemic poses
of their diets, or quantities and overall food intake were a short-term crisis for children in which many families
reduced or disrupted. Households with children typically will struggle to feed their children, with lasting health
have lower food security and 29% of households with impacts for some.
Key concerns: impact on children
• Loss of Free School Meals: School closures insecurity, and those with no recourse to public
will have far-reaching impacts on the health and funds will be especially at risk.
well-being of children, especially the 1.7 million
• Charity sector capacity: In 2018/19 an estimated
children who are currently entitled to Free School
215,000 children received at least one foodbank
Meal provision in the UK. Despite government
parcel across the UK. Foodbank providers have
schemes to provide £15 supermarket vouchers to
seen rapid increases in the demand for emergency
eligible families each week or guidance for schools
food parcels and are also reporting a drop in food
Snapshot
and local of the effects
authorities on children’s
to continue rights
providing free meals
donations. It is likely that low income and debt
to eligible pupils, there are concerns that families,
(two of the most common reasons for using a
especially those also facing job and income loss, will
foodbank) will be an increasing problem for many in
struggle to provide nutritious meals to their children
the coming months. At the same time, many food
for £3 per day, and that some lack the resources and
banks have had to close as a result of volunteer
an appropriately equipped kitchen to ensure that
decline while others are operating at reduced
children eat healthily.
capacity – coupled with a drop in food availability due
• Potential food availability shortages: Households to volume rationing from primary suppliers such as
who are self-isolating may be unable to access food supermarkets, this will result in further barriers to
at all. Children who are already struggling with food access for the most vulnerable.
© Unicef/Bajornas
C H ILDREN’S HEALT H A N D
A CCES S TO HEALT H S E R V I CE S
Nearly 1 in 4 children report a long Around 2.3 million children are due at least one
term health condition or disability. routine vaccination each year.
Every child has the right to the best possible health. problems for this generation in the coming years if
Although the evidence suggests that in general children adequate steps are not taken to catch up on the lost
experience coronavirus more mildly, there is still a health protections that they would normally enjoy.
lot unknown about the risks for vulnerable groups of
children, including those who are immunocompromised Nearly 1 in 4 children report a long-term health condition
or living with long-term respiratory conditions. This or disability and many due to receive ongoing or
pandemic poses an unprecedented health crisis for emergency care from NHS may find these services are
children through a combination of reduced services, postponed or disrupted during the pandemic due to staff
loss of healthy behaviours and exposure to additional shortages and redeployment. Delayed access to care can
risks. It also has the potential to store up serious health pose a serious threat to children’s right to health.
Key concerns: impact on children
• Childhood vaccinations: Routine vaccinations much longer screen time, irregular sleep patterns,
are essential health services, and disruptions and less favourable diets. Prior to the lockdown 50%
to childhood immunisations can lead to further of children regularly took part in some extracurricular
outbreaks of infectious disease, to which children sporting activity and many more were active through
are the most susceptible. Around 2.3 million school. We are likely to see an increase in obesity
children below school age should be vaccinated
Snapshot of theofeffects on children’s rights and an impact on children’s mental health as a result
over the course a year, many of which may be
of reduced exercise and poor nutrition, and both may
delayed or missed in this period. Any short-term
have long-term effects lasting into adulthood.
loss of immunisations will put babies at
increased risk of potentially serious illness • Sexual health: Access to sexual health clinics and
and life-threatening complications. support will be significantly impacted by the current
• Reduction in healthy behaviours: The pandemic crisis. There are concerns around STIs, unplanned
will impact children’s engagement in health pregnancies as well as access to counselling for
promoting behaviours. When children are out of sexual assault trauma and young and vulnerable
school they are typically less physically active, have person safeguarding.
© Unicef/McIlwaine
C H ILDREN’S M ENTA L H E A LT H
Over 350,000 young people There are estimated to
Around 110,000 14-year olds
accessed NHS Mental Health be nearly 800,000 young
self-harm over the course of a
Services in England carers under the age
year in the UK.
alone in 2018–19. of 18 in the UK.
In England alone, over 350,000 children access specialist The mental health impacts of this pandemic will be felt
mental health services in a year. Many more struggle particularly strongly among children and young people.
with their mental health but do not access services. The At a time when they most need support – professional
impact of child mental illness can be devastating, with and informal – it is least available. Mental ill-health in
over 250 deaths by suicide among young people each childhood and adolescence can last into adulthood with
year, and high rates of self-harm among teenagers. profound impact on all aspects of their lives.
Key concerns: impact on children
• Children living with mental health diagnoses: • Loss of mental health support and protective
Many young people who use mental health services behaviours: Many of the ways in which young
are already unable to access essential mental people manage their mental health – social support
health support. Sessions have been replaced with through friends and family, physical activity,
online or telephone support, or postponed. Some being outdoors or engaging in hobbies – are now
young people mayeffects
find thison
lesschildren’s
effective or rights
may impossible. Disrupted routines can cause distress
Snapshot of the for those suffering from anxiety, eating disorders
worry about maintaining privacy if sessions are held
and other mental health difficulties. School is an
remotely with family members close by.
important source of support for many young people,
• Anxiety around coronavirus: Children who as well as being a respite for those who have a
already struggle with anxiety, and many who did difficult time at home. For these young people, the
not previously, are now feeling very anxious about period of school closure may be very hard to
coronavirus. They may worry about their health or cope with.
the health of loved ones, particularly if parents are at
high-risk or work in essential services.
© Unicef/@_girl_from_pluto
P ROT EC TION FRO M V I OL E N CE ,
AB U SE AND NEGL E CT
20% of the adult
160,000 children in England population are believed to 79% of children (12-15) had
are living in households with have experienced abuse potentially harmful online
domestic abuse. in childhood before experiences over a year.
the age of 16.
Every child protected. We may never know the full extent are known to social services, many more are not. Large
of childhood abuse and neglect as so much of it remains numbers of children are therefore currently confined to
hidden. An estimated 160,000 children are living in a home which is not a safe place for them or for other
households where domestic abuse is taking place. While family members. It is essential that children at risk are
some of those who experience, or are at risk of, abuse identified and supported as far as possible.
Key concerns: impact on children
• Risk in the home: While families are quarantined • Strain on services: For those children who are
many children will face severe and immediate risks in known to social services, support will continue,
their own homes. The stress of illness, confinement but is likely to be subject to pressures due to staff
in the home and financial strain is likely to exacerbate sickness and challenges of working remotely. Focus
volatile family situations leading to an increase in will be on those children who are thought to be most
incidences of domestic violence, abuse or neglect. at risk of violent or sexual abuse, while those who
Stress for parents during this time might also are suffering other forms of abuse may receive
contribute to an increased risk of substance misuse less support.
or worsening
Snapshot mental
of the healthon
effects symptoms.
children’s rights • Protecting children online: 79% of 12-15 year olds
• Children falling through the cracks: While the have had potentially harmful online experiences
in the previous 12 months. While schools are
risks are increasing, opportunities to report abuse
closed many children will spend longer periods of
or seek help will be reduced during the pandemic.
unsupervised time online. While this provides many
School and youth groups are important for identifying
opportunities for socialising and education, it also
children who are at risk and providing support, while
increases the risk of online harm.
also being a safe haven for children who are abused
at home, but these will not be accessed by most
children in this period.C ONCLUSIO N: BUI L DI N G A BE T T E R
TOMORRO W FOR CH I L DR E N
The risks to children’s health, wellbeing and future its aftermath. Data will be critical to ensuring children are
opportunities are serious and need immediate not lost in the cracks and this work should start now to
intervention. Hundreds of thousands of children will ensure that a generation is not left unprotected.
face hunger, violence, ill-health and lost opportunities
Children themselves show remarkable resilience,
that could follow them into adulthood.
creativity and adaptability, yet they are rarely consulted
While children are remarkably good at adapting, on decisions that affect their lives directly, especially in
those with the fewest resources always find it a crisis. Young people from all backgrounds should have
hardest to adapt. This crisis is exposing the fragility the opportunity to influence the decisions made during
of life for so many families. It is also highlighting the this time to ensure they reflect their best interests.
dependence of those families on schools, health
In the coming months, Unicef UK will look to work
services, social services, and the voluntary sector.
with other voluntary sector organisations, frontline
When those infrastructures are weakened, children are
services, policymakers and young people to respond
left unprotected.
to the coronavirus pandemic. We will continue to
We need an evidence-based approach to helping young gather evidence and monitor the impact for children,
people pick up the pieces. Key to this is gathering the and to ensure that all children in the UK enjoy their
evidence and intelligence needed to understand who is rights in full as we move beyond this crisis and build
at risk and to support them, both during this crisis and in a better tomorrow.
© Unicef/Filippov
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