Northern Ireland

Calls for NI Executive to put children at 'heart' of Covid-19 recovery planning

The organisations said children and young people are 'facing unprecedented uncertainty affecting their current childhood and future prospects'
The organisations said children and young people are 'facing unprecedented uncertainty affecting their current childhood and future prospects' The organisations said children and young people are 'facing unprecedented uncertainty affecting their current childhood and future prospects'

THERE are calls for the Stormont Executive to "make this generation of children and young people as central to the nation’s coronavirus recovery plans as health and the economy".

Fifty charities and organisations across the children’s sector have issued a joint statement calling on politicians to "set out a new vision of childhood to support children, young people and their families to recover fully from the impact of Covid-19".

The organisations, which include Action for Children NI, National Children’s Bureau (NCB NI), YMCA Ireland and Barnardo’s NI, are urging the Executive to "prioritise and protect vulnerable children and young people".

They say children and young people in Northern Ireland are "facing unprecedented uncertainty affecting their current childhood and future prospects".

"As well as disruption to their schooling, living standards and family lives caused by the crisis, they have been growing up at a time where services protecting children are stretched, school budgets under pressure and job losses are soaring," they said.

In a joint message, they said "political leaders must make this generation of children and young people as central to the nation’s coronavirus recovery plans as health and the economy".

Celine McStravick, director of NCB NI, said: "Organisations across the children’s sector are calling upon the Northern Ireland Executive to set out a new vision of childhood to support children, young people and their families to recover fully from the impact of Covid-19.

"When we speak of recovery, we do not mean simply going back to how things were before, with rising child poverty and services at breaking point.

"We urgently need a clear and comprehensive delivery plan for the Children and Young People’s strategy, coordinating and valuing all the resources amongst statutory and VCSE (voluntary, community and social enterprise) bodies in Northern Ireland.

"Children and young people have lived through this uncertainty, not seeing friends, not knowing what’s happening with their education and not being able to avail of the services they are entitled to.

"Enough is enough, it’s time for the NI government to prioritise our future generation and invest properly helping them to thrive."

Lorna Ballard, director Action for Children NI also said: "Every day our staff are in contact with children, young people and families whose lives have been turned upside down by the pandemic, many of whom were already facing poverty and overstretched support systems.

"We are making this plea to the NI Executive to put children at the heart of recovery planning where they belong."