Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People: ‘We must remember rural children in this pandemic’

The Covid pandemic has had, and continues to have, a very profound and far-reaching effect on all our lives, and none more so than on our children and young people.

Children and families generally, have displayed remarkable resilience during this unprecedented and extremely difficult time, both during lockdown and now with further measures in place.

Covid knows no boundaries, be that if a young person is part of an urban or a rural community, they have all faced and had to deal head-on with many new and difficult challenges.

From the lack of routine and uncertainty around their future, to fears of falling behind in their education and worries about family income.

All of this alongside often mixed and confused messaging has meant that for many there are heightened levels of anxiety, and this has undoubtedly affected their mental health and wellbeing.

However, we know that many young people and their families who live in rural areas face additional challenges and the pandemic has exacerbated many of these.

Since becoming commissioner I have talked and listened to many children in rural communities and many are clearly proud of their families and communities. However, as they grow older they do raise issues of isolation, which is unfortunately endemic in many rural areas and can take many forms.

This can include practical issues such as a lack of reliable wi-fi that for young people created additional difficulties during lockdown when doing school remote learning.

There are also a range of other issues such as increased isolation due to travel restrictions and other Covid measures, which made it harder to maintain regular contact and social interaction. There is a strong causal link with poor mental health and this is something that is felt particularly acutely by young people, who rely on their families and social networks for support and positive well-being.

We have already seen an increased number of families in receipt of social security and we know that families are increasingly concerned about their income. Rural poverty in Northern Ireland is a real but, too often, hidden issue and the pandemic has meant that access to food banks, deliveries and other support has been more difficult.

There must be a collective effort and determination by government, relevant authorities and agencies to address these issues so that all children have the best start in life and that children living in rural areas are no longer hidden or forgotten.”