Concern about school was children's greatest worry during lockdown

New research published by the Children’s Commissioner highlights some of the worries children had during lockdown.

The survey, “Stress Among Children During the Coronavirus Lockdown”, reveals the greatest reported increase in stress during lockdown came in worries about school. 41% of children reported feeling more stressed about schoolwork and exams after schools closed to most in March. However, overall, it appears many children felt less stressed as the lockdown went on. Schoolwork and exams was the joint most common choice, along with ‘Not being able to see my friends or relatives’.

Nineteen per cent of children chose ‘Schoolwork I had to do whilst I was at home’ as their primary cause of stress in general during lockdown.

Twenty-four per cent of children reported that they had become more stressed about their future and finding a job during lockdown, and 26% of children reported that they had become more stressed about their mental and physical health during lockdown.

Forty-nine per cent of children chose ‘not being able to see my friends or relatives’ as one of their top three causes of stress during lockdown out of topics related to school or Coronavirus, while 39% of children chose ‘schoolwork I had to do whilst I was at home’ as one of their top three causes.