Covid-19: how the pandemic impacted the needs of families with young children
Covid-19: How the pandemic impacted the needs of families with young children
Understanding the adverse effect on children aged 0–3 and their families
In 2020, LEAP conducted a mixed-methods study exploring several themes:
- how the pandemic changed the needs and experiences of LEAP families;
- the reach of LEAP and other services; and
- how services adapted their provision in light of the pandemic.
We engaged families and practitioners to understand both perspectives: developing a survey for parents, an online survey for practitioners and conducting semi-structured interviews with parents.
Authors
Claire Dunne, Evaluation and Research Manager
Jill Roberts, Head of Evaluation and Research
Charlotte Wray, Senior Researcher
Angharad Lewis, Public Health Officer
Carla Stanke, Public Health Specialist
Shaneka Foster, Senior Data Analyst – Equalities
Emily Hamblin, Public Health Officer
Background
The earliest years of life are a vital time in which children’s brains are developing rapidly.
Pregnancy, birth, the early months and, to some extent, the first two years should be considered as an additional ‘risk factor’ for lockdown harms to children.
This additional ‘risk factor’ is due to an infant’s susceptibility to their environment, dependency on parents, services and social support, and invisibility to professionals.
As a place-based early years programme, it was essential for us to understand the experience of families with young children in Lambeth, so we would be well placed to respond to these challenges and adapt the delivery of the LEAP programme.
The predicted adverse impact of the pandemic on children aged 0-3 was of great concern to LEAP and the wider early years sector. Early intervention suddenly ceased to exist or substantially shrank.
Young children and their families did not have consistent access to play facilities, social networks, outdoor space, children’s centres, and services that support their health, wellbeing and development. As a result, there were reduced opportunities to identify children and families at risk, and to provide much-needed support.
We knew the pandemic would likely negatively impact families from across the social spectrum, particularly those facing disadvantage. In comparison to 2019, London benefit claims increased by 148% and the number of emergency food parcels handed out in May 2020 increased by 177%.
The pandemic was extraordinarily testing for parents’ mental health and family relationships. It added to the existing stresses of pregnancy and parenting young children, and negatively impacted on the mental health of children and adolescents. Sadly, it also created conditions for domestic and child abuse to escalate.
See the full report (PDF) to find out about further adverse impacts.
Key findings
- Multiple and intersecting stresses had a significant impact on parental wellbeing.
- Household finances, development and education, and catching Covid-19, were all big concerns for parents.
- Social distancing appeared to have a significantly detrimental effect on mental wellbeing for parents and children.
- A significant number of parents reported challenges in accessing services during the pandemic.
- Most LEAP services adapted their delivery from face-to-face to virtual to ensure the needs of the local community continued to be met.
- Practitioners most struggled to reach families with limited digital resources and those already facing disadvantage.
- Parents and practitioners reported that digital delivery had its benefits but wasn’t an adequate replacement for face-to-face service delivery.
Read the full Covid-19 report
Discover the full picture of what parents and practitioners thought