Children and families have their say through play

Date: 23rd April 2021
Category: Recreation, play and cultural activities

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Twenty-one families from LicketySpit’s Children and Families Network have shared their thoughts, feelings, ideas and experiences of different issues that affect them, through group play. Topics discussed include perceptions of COVID-19 restrictions, racism and discrimination, experience of the asylum system and more.

Some of the findings are as follows:

• A large proportion of children feel sad and fearful of Covid-19. However, children are using coping mechanisms. For example, one five-year-old told Licketyspit she puts YouTube on every morning to dance.
• The single biggest issue raised by parents and carers was the impact of not having the right to work and the effect this has on their children.
• Several children gave accounts of facing racism in school and discrimination due to being asylum seekers. However, there were also positive accounts of integration.

Other topics discussed were about changes in school, friendships and relationships, mental and physical health, media perspectives, perceptions of the COVID-19 restrictions, experience of the asylum system and digital access.

Read Licketyspit’s report in full here.