Levers for Tackling Inequality exacerbated by the pandemic. Be creative about those who we don't prioritise for return first - can we loosen restrictions in community so YP can have social interactions? Uncertainty around the pace at which you open schools: weigh up what happens to NHS capacity with inevitable small spike that will occur. Question of when and how. Too early will result crisis in NHS and increase in R number= further lockdowns. Significant harms on young people in not opening schools. Staged reopening upper and lower ends of schools. Post Covid - Should we change the way schools are operating? Number of days, Saturday am, holidays etc? Increased pressure on schools, education the first area to open up. Wider harms for children's mental health and wellbeing is quite frightening. Aspiration of children/young people, too many unknowns for them. Younger children are not having access to learning to develop- problems in the future, gap widening for them.
Mental health issues for primary age children and secondary schools is going to impact greatly on future health and confidence. Lone children from poorer families, youngsters unable to articulate their feelings and older children fearing for their futures to name a few. Schools are social as well as educational and need to be prioritised and kept consistent. Youth work experience to support running clubs if changes to working / school week impact?
There has been far too little money and imagination spent in this area: schools could have reopened with much more flexibility last year: money for using church halls and other community buildings. Kids could have been back in half-time for their mental health. Families with CEV adults should be 'allowed' to keep children at home if they don't feel safe. We must be more creative in how we think about education, were this ever to happen again.
This content is created by the open source Your Priorities citizen engagement platform designed by the non profit Citizens Foundation