On an Wales Online interview, Dr Catherine Foster said life had “changed dramatically” for many young people who suffered from effects such as loneliness and loss of routine.
She said: “Although some children have been able to continue going to school at least part of the time, most have lost the organization and structure that school attendance gives young people. Our [multi-cohort] survey from last summer showed that over 90% of secondary school pupils surveyed missed their friends, nearly half missed their teachers and 70% of year 10 worried about failing catch up with schoolwork on my return. ”
Dr Jennifer Hampton (WISERD) led the study of Children’s Worlds in Wales. The analysis revealed that only 44% of children experiencing higher levels of deprivation had a place to study at home, compared with 86% of children who did not experience material deprivation.