What is the impact of educational and other restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic on children aged 3-13 years?
What effects have restrictions during the pandemic had on children aged 3 to 13?
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted children’s lives worldwide. The aim of this review was to look at how restrictions have affected children’s physical and mental wellbeing and their education. The review looked at the impact of wider restrictions, not just in schooling, and whether some groups of children were affected more than others.
Findings
Disruptions and restrictions in education had a negative effect on learning, mental health and wellbeing, eating and physical health. Children were also more at risk of abuse and exploitation.
Children living in poverty have been most affected, in particular through lack of regular meals, conditions triggering stress and anxiety in the home, limited opportunities to access digital resources for learning, or limited access to outside space for physical activity.
In terms of mental health and wellbeing, children who were already at risk of poor mental health or experienced high levels of anxiety before the pandemic, and those with carers who experienced psychological distress, have been particularly affected.
Younger children, and those from disadvantaged communities have been most affected in terms of learning and levels of achievement.
Children with disabilities were particularly affected by decreased activity.
The evidence found is weak and lacks recent and long term data.
Implications
Although there is some evidence of harm, it could be too soon to accurately assess longer term effects.
There is almost no evidence of measures taken to limit these harms although individual schools may have taken action to support children. Primary research is needed in this area.
Our findings revealed the need to:
- Ensure good home-school communication
- Support the involvement of parents in children’s learning
- Develop independent learning
- Increase the availability of computers and access to the internet to support learning at home.
- Give more priority to mental health and well-being within the school/community and monitor this
- Provide greater support for outdoor learning
- Ensure support for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable learners
- Support Welsh learners in non-Welsh speaking households
- Include these issues in professional training for teachers
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