Mental health and school closures ‘biggest concerns’ of children’s homes during lockdown
Fiona Simpson
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
School closures, mental health issues and a ban on visits for family and friends were the main issues affecting children’s homes during lockdown, a new report by Ofsted shows.
In a series of new briefings, published by Ofsted, on the impact of Covid-19 on schools and children’s homes, inspectors said that “most children’s homes had been managing the challenges" faced during the pandemic and praised staff for efforts to “maintain normality” for vulnerable children during lockdown.
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The briefing, based on ungraded visits to 70 homes between 1 September and 11 September, highlights concerns over a lack of mental health support for children during lockdown with young people reporting an increase in low mood, phobias and anxiety.
“Children were not always able to access the more specialist services they needed. This was sometimes because staff did not understand or prioritise their complex needs, and appointments were missed or delayed,” the briefing states.
However, it adds that in some cases children experienced an improvement in their mental health and had good engagement with mental health professionals.
“This may have been due to better relationships with staff and children in the home or reduced anxiety about school or other outside pressures,” it adds.
Some homes reported improved relationships between staff and children during lockdown, inspectors found, with others reporting “a decrease in physical interventions over the period”.
Relationships between children in some homes during lockdown were described as “difficult”, with occasional reports of bullying and conflict between children.
“Some children have also been struggling with restrictions and going missing. This was often connected to children not having their usual routines or being able to visit family and friends, or a lack of consistency in staffing levels as a result of self-isolation,” the report states.
However, inspectors praise the work of staff in working to help children “maintain relationships with friends and families through messaging and video technology”.
“Leaders generally understood the risks associated with the pandemic well and were helping children to keep safe. Staff provided good support to children so that they understood that they needed to stay healthy by following social distancing rules and guidance. When children had specific needs or wishes, staff worked hard to accommodate those while keeping them safe,” the report states.
Despite children’s homes reporting school closures as one of the biggest issues faced during lockdown, the briefing also praises work done in children’s homes to encourage children to continue working.
“We saw evidence that homes worked well with schools to help children with their education, and had developed bespoke approaches for children who struggle.
“For example, when children did not engage in the work sent by the school, some homes used other activities, such as weighing out ingredients in baking or budgeting, in an attempt to link to the educational themes. Staff also helped the children prepare for returning fully to school in September,” it states.
However, in some homes, a lack of structure during restrictions, especially in engaging children in formal and informal education, meant encouraging engagement in education was more difficult, it adds.
The report also states that Ofsted had seen “very little evidence” of homes using flexibilities introduced by the Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020.
“Homes that have used these have done so to adapt family contact arrangements (such as by changing location) and to arrange independent visitors to visit virtually or less frequently. “In some cases, reports based on virtual visits were of variable quality or lacked consultation with children,” it states.
The report was published alongside a second briefing highlighting work done by schools to welcome children back to classrooms.
It is based on 121 pilot visits to schools across England carried out last month and finds that school leaders are working hard to make sure pupils are catching up with their education in difficult circumstances.
Amanda Spielman, Ofsted’s chief inspector, said: “We have been hearing directly from the leaders of schools and children’s homes, so we can help others understand what’s being achieved in extraordinary circumstances – whether that’s parents, other professionals working in these fields, or the government.
“Strong leadership and committed staff are key to making the best of this challenging time. The member of staff at a children’s home who isolated with a child who was displaying Covid-19 symptoms so they did not feel alone, stands out. But so does the determination, expressed by many of the school leaders we spoke to, that the pupils currently under their care and guidance must not come to be defined as ‘the Covid generation’. They deserve much more than that.”