COVID CONVERSATIONS: Impact on BAME children and young people
Urgent steps need to be taken to support our children and young people as we come out of the worst of the pandemic. That’s the key call from a report out today by Youth Leads UK.
The COVID Conversations Report delved into the impact that COVID-19 has had on the health and wellbeing of BAME young people aged 8-19 years old.
Over the past year, the lives of children and young people have been turned upside down, and we have all faced challenges. The pandemic has brought poverty, inequality, work and housing into the spotlight. We echo the Children’s Commissioner’s comments that this generation of children and young people will be a “post-war generation” because of the “shocks” they have experienced from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our findings require action:
- There is far too much disparity across the town’s education system on children and young people’s understanding of mental health and mindfulness.
- There are significant financial barriers to disadvantaged young people taking part in extracurricular activities.
- Social re-integration must be a priority over the summer, particularly for children and young people at key transition points.
- Bolton has access to fantastic online health services such as Kooth and Chat Health but not enough young people know about these.
- Far too many young people have missed out on vital employability-improving opportunities such as work experience.
Although the report focuses on the impact upon BAME young people, our recommendations are universal.
Although the report focuses on the impact of BAME young people, our recommendations will somewhat benefit all young people regardless of background.
Covid-Conversations-Report-LR
Covid Conversations Report Download Here
Funding from HM Government, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund to Bolton Together has made this report possible.
