Throughout the pandemic, emphasis has been broadly placed on keeping the elderly safe – an unsurprising priority, given that risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age.
As a result, ways of protecting both carers and residents of elderly care-homes has dominated news streams.
What has attracted less attention, however, is the social and mental impact that this virus has, and continues to have, on children – a situation that, undeniably, becomes even more difficult for those in care.
Strain on already weak services
Pressures on the children’s care system across the country have soared amid the pandemic.
CEO of Bernados, Javed Khan, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has hit vulnerable families the hardest, with many reaching crisis point.
“This has created a state of emergency, as more children than ever need a safe and loving foster family, while fewer adults are coming forward as potential foster carers.”
The charity says the Covid-19 outbreak has increased pressures on families who are experiencing job losses, deepening poverty and worsening mental health.
There were 2,349 referrals to the charity’s fostering services between 1 March and 23 April this year in England, Wales and Northern Ireland up from 1,629 in the same period in 2019.
And just 161 people inquired about becoming a foster carer during the two months, down 47% from 302 across the same period in 2019.
Similarly, calls to Become’s helpline for children in care and young care-leavers have increased by 75%, with the sharp rise continuing as lockdown eases. Many of the calls are from young people anxious about what the future holds.
Zahra, 21, turned to Become for support after leaving care: “Just after my eighteenth birthday I was forced to move from supported housing to living alone.”
“After leaving care, I felt really isolated and lonely. I was thrown into the world on my own and no-one cared about me. Everything was gone at once.”
Disparity of care
According to The Independent Children’s Homes Association, access to social work services have been incredibly varied across the country.
Whilst a number of children’s homes and fostering agencies have experienced an increase in contact through telephone and online outlets, some children’s homes have seen little change.
Research by The Fostering Network (TFN) underpins this: only 32% of foster carers had weekly contact from schools. 86% had some contact, but not weekly and 14% had absolutely no contact.
CEO of TFN, Kevil Williams said: “The evidence that we’re gathering is a very mixed picture – different local authorities and schools are responding very differently.
“The government’s message around ‘all of those pupils with social workers should attend school’ was a blunt instrument.”
Carers and children in care have a variety of different needs, so a notion of a singular approach is desperately lacking. Calls for a tailored, more delicate approach have been made across the sector.
Anxieties rise as children expect to return to school
Worries for the safety of looked-after-children are particularly high regarding returning pupils to schools this September after such a long time away.
Children who have interacted with social services are 20 times more likely to be excluded from school, which has a huge impact on mental health – a worry that is heightened when returning to school.
Kiran Gill, CEO of The Difference, highlights this: “In terms of COVID’s impact on children nationally there is increased vulnerability and schools need to be particularly aware of who their vulnerable learners are and to be resourced to deal with what will potentially be difficult behaviour on return as a result of mental health.”
The charity is concerned that the number will rise because there are now many more children who have experienced traumas which we know can escalate into bad behaviours.
If schools do not feel confident and equipped to recognise that trauma is the cause of children’s behavioural change, exclusions are expected to rise to a level that referral units are not resourced to cope with, possibly throwing some units into “special measures”.
Mr Sandiford agrees: “Children returning in September is a concern because one of the real common themes is those children being settled and building relationships with their carer(s).
“The concern is as they go back into school how they will have their emotional needs met going through that transition.”
A call for joined-up thinking
Too often, the support that is provided to care-leavers takes the form of crisis management – stepping in once their situation has already reached a potentially deadly tipping point.
Become’s Care not Crisis appeal aims to address this to ensure it can provide the necessary practical support for young people as they face the impacts of Covid-19 and beyond.
CEO of Become, Katharine Sacks-Jones explains: “Government’s commitment that no young person should have to leave care during the crisis is commendable.
“As part of the build back better programme, we now have the opportunity to remove this damaging care-cliff forever.
“In the same way Government has responded to calls for free school meals, there is a chance to make sure all eighteen-year olds continue to get the care and support they need.”
Mr Sandiford said: “I would love to see different government departments coming together with a cohesive response.
“What we had initially was children being grouped together with adult social care and a total lack of clarity in guidance.
“All stakeholders need to be working closely together.”
As the country prepares for students to return to school next month, but also fears a second wave, the government and local authorities must show that they are working to ensure the safety of these vulnerable children.
As opposed to the slow, reactionary response seen in the first lockdown, a second lockdown must be anticipated and joint planning for the support of carers and looked-after children needs to be in motion now.
Mr Williams urges: “There is a potential for an emerging crisis if we don’t look after the existing workforce today, and that workforce includes foster carers.
“We have been saying this for a long time, but evidence from lockdown has highlighted this.”
Wednesday 22 July 2020
Words by Madeleine Coffey
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