PARENTS are more concerned about their children's educational and mental health than afraid of potential Covid-19 infection, a new study has found.
Parenting NI carried out a survey after becoming aware of "a surge in need regarding mental health and wellbeing services for parents and their children".
The report has detailed data from 262 parents across the north and "sheds a light on the heavy impact of Covid on families in Northern Ireland".
Eighty-eight per cent of parents reported that the pandemic had affected their wellbeing, and 71 per cent also felt it was taking a heavy toll on their children's emotional health and wellbeing too.
"Mainly the experience of families during the pandemic has been largely negative," the report found.
"The interviews highlighted many of the unique challenges children faced, including educational challenges."
Parents expressed "a desire for more support around emotional health and wellbeing, both for themselves and for their children" - with more than half "not aware of help or support available".
Families supported pre-pandemic emotional health on average seven out of 10, with only nine per cent below a five - almost a year into the pandemic 28 per cent scored themselves below five.
Pre-Covid, parents gave their children an average score of eight out of 10 for emotional wellbeing, with only seven per cent below five.
However, parents felt that the pandemic situation is "having a dramatic impact on their child's emotional wellbeing, with 47 per cent stating it has affected them `a lot'.
Only around five per cent felt that it hadn't had an impact on their children at all.
One family told how their son had gone from "a `perfect' student to having behavioural problems, and the breakdown of structure is definitely the cause" another how a toilet trained child "has regressed back into nappies... either the stress or lack of support has caused her to slip".
When asked about causing anxiety, 65 per cent selected children's `education/home-schooling', with mental health selected by 60 per cent compareed with 51 per cent experiencing `fear/anxiety related to potential illness/infection from Covid'.
The report found "parents were significantly more concerned about the emotional and physical health of their children than they were about their own wellbeing".
They were also "unambiguous in their identification of the primary causes of distress for their children", with "by far the most common option identified as having a negative impact on the wellbeing of their children `social isolation' and at 78 per cent - "more than double the second most common answer, `educational issues' with 31 per cent".
The report also found many parents had found spending more time at home as a family positive.
Parenting NI is calling for better communications from the authorities to help provide more support for families.
