Children from low-income households and with special educational needs are more likely to continue to have mental health problems during the pandemic recovery, study reveals

Children with special educational needs and from low-income households are more likely to continue to have heightened mental health symptoms during the pandemic recovery, according to a new study.

The Co-SPACE study, led by British Psychological Society members at the University of Oxford, explored changes in children’s mental health symptoms from March 2020 to June 2021.

It found that while on average behavioural, emotional, and attentional difficulties decreased as Covid-19 related restrictions eased from February to April 2021, for children with special educational needs and those from low-income families, difficulties have continued with heightened mental health problems.

Professor Cathy Creswell, a member of the BPS’ Division of Clinical Psychology who co-led the study, said: “Prior to the pandemic, the prevalence of mental health problems in children and young people was already high. While there has been huge variation depending on people’s different circumstances, there is increasing evidence, from a range of sources, for an overall negative impact of the pandemic on children and young people, as well as on their parents’ mental health.

“It is clear that pre-existing vulnerabilities are not only associated with more negative health outcomes during lockdowns, but they also impact the recovery post-lockdowns. For example, poverty is a determinant of mental health difficulties and families often struggle to access the support they need. This highlights just how critical it is to make sure those children are identified at an early stage, and that the support services are properly funded and resourced so we can shift those negative trajectories.”