Young children’s experience of lockdown

Date: 28th May 2021
Category: COVID-19

---

Save the Children

Sharing young children and families’ experiences of living on low incomes throughout the pandemic, Save the Children hopes to inform practice on how we can best support families as Scotland begins to recover from the pandemic.

The pandemic worsened financial pressures on families already living on low incomes - as families expressed concerns about not being able to afford the basics, worries about paying the bills and putting food on the table, sudden changes in jobs, hours and income, coupled with difficulties in accessing support, anxieties about health, caring for their children, the sudden loss of face-to-face support and social networks.

Despite these challenges, parents and carers demonstrated incredible resilience and treasured the opportunity to bond with their children and spend more time together.

Save the Children is calling for Scottish Government and partners to:

1. Prioritise the needs of families with young children experiencing low income during the recovery. 
2. Protect family incomes to weather the current storm and longer-term, ensure a minimum income standard that enables families with children to achieve a reliable and decent income to live a dignified life.
3. Guarantee holistic family support for all families needing help that offers tailored practical, emotional and financial support.
4. Provide opportunities for children to play and build secure relationships in early childhood.
5. Ensure families are part of decision making about how Scotland recovers from the pandemic.

Read Save the Children’s report here.