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New research on the lived experiences of children, young people and parents during COVID-19

  • Area of Work: The ALLIANCE
  • Type: News Item
  • Published: 29th July 2021

The Scottish Government has published findings from research conducted wit children, young people and parent in vulnerable groups.

The Scottish Government has published a report outlining findings from qualitative research conducted with a range of children, young people and parents in vulnerable groups to explore lived experiences during COVID-19.

Participant groups were selected to fill gaps in the existing evidence base and included those with domestic abuse experiences; those who are asylum seeking and from minority ethnic backgrounds; and those in gypsy/traveller families. Participants also included young and single parents; parents with physical and/or mental illness; and parents in the perinatal period.

Overall, the research illustrated many similar experiences across all groups. All participants reported a decline in their mental wellbeing over the course of the pandemic, particularly during the second lockdown period. Drivers of low mental wellbeing included feelings of isolation; tensions within the family; excessive screen use; social media pressures; and a lack of routine.

Among parents of children with Additional Support Needs (ASN) there was an overall agreement that existing issues had become more severe throughout the pandemic. Participants experienced significant variation in support services depending on their local area, and there was a decrease in the quality and frequency of services for individuals with ASN.

You can read the full report via the Scottish Government website (this link will take you away from our website).

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