A coalition of 40 children’s charities and professional bodies, which includes TACTYC, the NSPCC, the NCB and the Institute of Health Visiting, has warned that health visitor numbers are down in some areas by 70 per cent since the Covid-19 outbreak.
‘Decision makers must balance action to tackle COVID-19 with action to reduce its immediate and long-term negative impact on parents and the next generation,’ a policy paper from the coalition, which forms part of the First 1001 Days Movement, said today.
‘We are very concerned that vital services that would normally help to support parents and safeguard babies, such as the already depleted health visiting service, are suffering from huge staff shortages not only due to staff being ill or in isolation, but because in some areas large numbers of staff – at least 50 per cent in some areas of England – are being redeployed to provide urgent medical care and other health services.
‘This is, therefore, a "perfect storm" of increased risk and decreased support for babies and their parents,’ the coalition says.
Information from the Institute of Health Visiting suggests that ‘health visiting workforce numbers in some parts of the UK have been cut by 50-70 per cent’.
Widespread early years setting closures, where problems might have otherwise been picked up, are also a major cause for concern. ‘Normally, babies might have regular contact with nurseries, children’s centres, toddler groups or family and friends. Now, they, and their parents may not be being seen by any other adults. We can’t expect that families in trouble will ask for help: we know that parents often hide their struggles for fear of stigma and judgement. Babies can’t speak out.’
Between 10 and 20 per cent of women experience mental health problems while pregnant or in the first year following a birth, while 25,000 babies in England live in households where their parent or parents are already struggling with at least two significant issues - parental mental illness, domestic abuse and/or substance misuse.
‘These problems are escalating during the COVID-19 crisis’, while ‘COVID-19 is likely to widen gaps in development between the poorest children and the rest’.
Sally Hogg, Head of Policy and Campaigning at the Parent-Infant Foundation and Co-ordinator of the First 1001 Days Movement, highlighted the lack of a senior ministerial post for the wellbeing of all children.
‘For a long time, charities, professionals and parliamentarians have called for there to be a senior minister in Government with clear responsibility for the wellbeing of children – beginning in pregnancy. Perhaps if such a person had been in place, we would have seen more attention paid to the needs of the youngest children in response to COVID-19.’
The coalition members, all of whom are members of the First 1001 Days Movement, say that a ‘concerted effort’ will be needed by all services to help children and families to recover and that local public services and charities co-ordinate to ensure vulnerable families get help - and identify families who are struggling behind closed doors.
They are asking for ‘clear guidance for health and social services on maintaining vital support for families’ and for the needs of babies and young children to be represented in Covid-19 decision-making, including the Government’s emergency COBRA briefings.
