Parents raise concerns over impact of school return on children's mental health

A survey of 1,000 parents by Ipsos MORI for the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) found that half of parents are worried about their child’s mental health as they return to school, with concerns highest among low-income households.

Particular concerns include how children will adjust to changes in the school environment (61 per cent), maintain focus and concentration on school work (45 per cent) get on with peers and teachers (42 per cent) and cope with anxiety about the coronavirus (41 per cent).

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There is strong backing from parents (71 per cent) for schools doing more to support pupils’ mental health and wellbeing.

Preferred types of support are targeted help from a school counsellor or other specialist (56 per cent) for pupils who may be struggling, more focus on mental health and wellbeing across the school (50 per cent), more time for lessons to support children’s mental wellbeing in the school timetable (46 per cent), and better communication with parents about their children’s wellbeing (45 per cent).

Dr Jo Casebourne, EIF chief executive, said: “Schools are under extreme pressure right now, with their attention being pulled in all directions. Yet despite the massive challenges, the focus cannot be on the curriculum and attainment alone. Good mental health is critical to pupils’ ability to learn effectively, and so it’s a crucial part of helping children to bounce back from the disruption they’ve experienced.

“It’s a particular concern that less well-off parents are more likely to be worried about their children’s mental wellbeing. Providing effective support for children’s social and emotional needs has to be an important part of the recovery plan if we are going to avoid the harmful long-term impacts of the pandemic falling most heavily on the shoulders of the least well-off.” 

The survey also found that four in 10 parents think their child’s/children’s mental health and wellbeing has worsened since lockdown began. This is particularly the case among parents from lower-income households. A lack of contact with friends is the most common reason given for a worsening of mental health and wellbeing (82 per cent), followed by the lack of a daily routine (62 per cent).  

Separate findings from the Co-SPACE (Covid-19 Supporting Parents, Adolescents, and Children in Epidemics) study, led by academics at the University of Oxford, has found that emotional and attention difficulties – and some behavioural problems in primary school age children – were higher among young people in low-income households during lockdown compared to peers living in higher-income homes.

Parents and carers from low income households reported that their children (aged four to 16 years) had higher levels of emotional difficulties, such as feeling unhappy, worried, being clingy and experiencing physical symptoms associated with worry than those from higher income households. Their children were also more fidgety and restless and had greater difficulty paying attention.

Those with younger, primary school aged children also reported that their children were experiencing higher levels of behaviour difficulties, including temper tantrums, arguments and not doing what they were being asked to do by adults than those from higher incomes.

The study also highlighted that over the course of lockdown, there were increases for children of primary school age in emotional difficulties, behavioural difficulties and restlessness and attention difficulties, with the proportion of children having significant (clinical level) difficulties, increasing by as much as 35 per cent. However, in young people of secondary school age, there was a reduction in emotional difficulties, no change in behavioural difficulties and a slight increase in restlessness/inattention.

More than 11,500 parents have now taken part in the Co-SPACE survey. The study is continuing the collect data in order to determine whether this has changed as school re-open and many children return to the classroom.

Professor Cathy Creswell at the University of Oxford, and co-leading the study, said: “These findings highlight not only the huge variation in how children and young people have been coping throughout the pandemic but also how pre-existing vulnerabilities associated with inequality have continued during the crisis. It is crucial that we continue to build understanding of who has been most impacted by this challenging situation so that effective action can be taken.”