Impact of Covid-19 on Young People Report - September 2020

Summary

During these unprecedented and changeable times, as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees have continued to engage with local people in order to find out peoples’ experiences and views of the pandemic and how this has impacted on their lives and their health and wellbeing.

Following on from a recent generic survey responded to be members of the public we wanted to focus upon the views of younger people, up to the age of 20.

Due to the social distancing and lockdown measures we released a COVID-19 survey which specifically targeted younger people, aiming to gather their experiences of living through the pandemic and any concerns they may have about the future.

The survey was made available via a link on the Stockton-on-Tees Healthwatch website. It was also posted on Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees social media platforms, and Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees volunteers were engaged to support and promote the survey to local people.

We also contacted a wide range of support services within the Stockton-on-Tees area via email and telephone, with an aim to create awareness of the survey and to engage their support to promote the survey with any young people they were in contact with.

A total of 28 surveys were completed, which may reflect the difficulties in engaging with younger people. However, we also received two very helpful case studies providing us with further insight into what it has been like to be a young person at this time.

Top five findings:

• 68% said not being with friends had the most impact, with 60% not being able to visit family members
• 50% said they emotional and mental health is worse and 57% said they would talk to family members
• 64% said they has experienced increased stress or anxiety, with 50% going to bed later and 67% getting up later
• 52% said they were worried about school changes

Conclusion

Towards the end of March 2020, the country was in the grip of a serious worldwide pandemic. To try and control the spread of the Coronavirus, the country experienced a period of unprecedented ‘lockdown’. Schools and many places of work were closed, and people were told to stay at home and avoid any face to face contact with extended family members and friends.

Over the following six months things have slowly improved but there are still many restrictions in place and life is far from ‘normal’ for many people.

It is clear from the information gathered in this survey that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact upon the lives of most young people. Having to remain at home without face-to-face contact with family and friends was seen as a major impact upon young people.

Alongside this was the impact of the closure of schools again highlighted by many as a matter of concern to them. For a smaller number, illness was a significant issue, either their own health or that of a family member.

These have been quite unprecedented times and it is therefore little surprise that a large majority of respondents told us that it had a negative effect upon their emotional and/or mental health.