CYP Now - Concern over young children’s development after lockdowns

The proportion of reception-aged children developing as expected academically, emotionally and in their communication has dropped markedly following Covid-19 lockdowns, new research shows.

Children are more likely to struggle in larger groups compared with pre-pandemic, researchers say. Picture: Adobe Stock

While in 2019 almost three quarters of reception age children were at their expected level of development, this plummeted to around six in ten by 2021.

Other areas of development looked at include children’s literacy, maths, and their personal and social skills. Physical development is also examined as part of the research.

The equivalent of three more children in each classroom on average are not reaching their expected levels of development by the end of their reception year compared with levels seen in 2019, according to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), which has published the research.

The EEF is particularly concerned that children from disadvantaged backgrounds are being hardest hit, with the attainment gap growing between this group of children and their classmates.

Register Now to Continue Reading

Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's Included