We surveyed impatient mental health ward managers, and spoke to staff and children in two wards to see how Covid-19 and lockdown has affected their hospital experiences childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/report/inpatie…
71% of in-patient mental health wards stopped children from having visits from their parents during lockdown. In some cases this lasted for three months. One child told us how hard it was that "everyone else can hug their parents, but I can’t"
Although all children in these wards are vulnerable, many education providers stopped attending – leaving already over-stretched nurses having to provide education as well
Some wards managed to keep education and family visits going throughout lockdown – often working incredibly hard to do so – to keep things as normal for children as possible. Other wards must learn from those that managed to do this safely.
In the event of any future lockdowns, @NHSEngland should share this best practice in new guidance on expectations for mental health providers ensuring that children can see their families, access education, and get the support they need.
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