Let's build better partnerships to support children

As I look to move from working with children aged five to 13 years to leading the work at Redthread, a youth charity helping young people navigate the transition to adulthood –the stakes certainly feel higher than ever.

The pandemic which brought disruption, isolation and bereavement has had a huge and ongoing impact on the lives of young people and families. We see children who are struggling because of the delays to language and social skills which are so crucial in those first years of school. Every day, we are seeing longer and longer waits for services which children need today, not in a year’s time. At Chance UK, our youth workers are seeing a rise in social anxiety and poor mental health amongst many of the children we support - these are seven or eight year olds for whom the effects of enforced isolation are lasting far longer than the lockdown itself.