Ofsted warning underlines the pressures facing vulnerable children and families right now 

Ofsted’s chief inspector, Amanda Spielman, told the NCAS conference last week that the number of babies in England that have suffered serious injury through abuse or neglect during the Covid pandemic is up by a fifth on the same period last year. That was followed this week by further reports on the harmful effects of the pandemic period on children. 

The news is the latest in a string of warnings about the negative impacts of Covid on families. The Ofsted warnings ought to serve as yet another wake-up call for us all to be aware of the wider challenges facing families, which can be all too easily overlooked, especially as we all keep our distance.   

The issue of neglect is symptomatic of wider problems facing families currently. Families are staying in close proximity, sometimes in very cramped housing, and are under increased financial strain and uncertainty. That will have led to many more children being witnesses to parental conflict on a scale right from low level sniping or arguments that are left unresolved, right through to domestic abuse. We know parental conflict of all types can be damaging to children, with long-term consequences for their personal development and wellbeing.