Coronavirus: Parents say lockdown improved their relationship with their children

The research by the University of Essex and charity Family Action, based on two surveys of parents, revealed however that those with children under the age of five faced ‘significantly’ more serious conflicts throughout the pandemic.

Despite this and the stresses and disruption caused by the pandemic, overall, the survey findings suggest that families have proved resilient,while there have been some positives for relationships.

Parents were surveyed in December 2020 and May this year about conflict and communication within households before and during Covid.

The initial survey included 1,015 adults in the UK with at least one child. Of those, 739 completed the follow-up survey 6 months later.

The findings revealed that money, schooling and children’s behaviour remained the three major areas of stress throughout the pandemic.

However, respondents said they were surprised by the love, strength, support and quality of their relationships and by how skilled their partners were at work and household chores.

'Covid has generally not destroyed families'

Dr Veronica Lamarche from the Department of Psychology at the University of Essex, said, ‘The really positive thing we found is Covid has generally not destroyed families. People have been really resilient and have largely been able to withstand the stresses and pressures without being crushed by the pandemic. In many cases relationships have actually improved. 

‘Conflict during Covid was a normal occurrence for most families, but many have come out the other side feeling positively about their families. What’s important now is that we find out what external support families need  – whether it’s support for home schooling, financial help or counselling - to help them tap into, and benefit from, the strength they have within their own family. This will mean we are better prepared the next time there is a crisis.’

When asked about what the Government could do to help families, survey respondents said more support with home schooling, more job creation and financial support, along with more help for single parents and better mental health support.

Stacey Warren, impact and influencing manager at Family Action, said, ‘This project with the University of Essex shows that many people still aren’t sure what support they can access nationally. We are keen to support families to have quality time together, and the definitions people gave in this project will help us to tailor our resources, such as our free Creating Happy Memories pack for families.’

The research was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) through its Impact Acceleration Account (IAA).

• 'Families at the frontlines of Covid-19' is available here