3 out of 4 children reported increase in negative feelings since Covid outbreak: Report

Three out of every four children reported increase in negative feelings since the outbreak of COVID-19, with many citing reasons like ambiguity over getting back to school and loss of livelihood in the family, according to a new report.

Released by child rights NGO Save the Children on Friday, the report ‘A Generation at Stake: Protecting India’s Children from the Impact of COVID-19’ covered 1,598 parents and 989 children (aged between 11-17 years) from 11 states and two union territories.

The report found that three out of every four children in the participants group reported increase in negative feelings since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

The reasons for the negative feelings included ambiguity over getting back to school, no contact with teachers or friends, loss of livelihoods in the family leading to insecurities and violence in household relationships, it stated.

“About 11 per cent children in the programme participants group and 17 per cent children in the migrants’ group reported violence in their homes during the pandemic,” according to the report.

One out of 10 children said that they would not be returning to school or do not know whether they would return to school once they reopen, and more than half of all children reported having no contact from teachers at all since the closure of schools, it said.

“Among migrants, 91 per cent households reported loss of income. About 60 per cent households reported lack of money to pay for food,” the report said.

The report also found that one-third or 32 per cent respondents in the programme participants group reported loss of their job.

“One in five respondents also shared that besides them another adult member in their family also lost their job. Among migrants, 85 per cent reported loss of their job and 29 per cent reported that another adult member in their family also lost their job,” the study said.

Sudarshan Suchi, CEO, Save the Children said the findings show that the economic shocks endured during the pandemic have had a correlation with increase in violence against both adults and children, as well as increase in domestic chores and caring duties, particularly for girls, and reduced mental health and wellbeing.

“The most vulnerable children are becoming the biggest victims of its social and economic impacts. It is agonising to see that COVID-19 is likely to exacerbate existing deprivation from both a monetary and a multi-dimensional poverty angle, hugely impacting the mental health and psychological well-being of children,” Suchi said.