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The former child welfare advocate has informed the pandemic investigation that the government should say sorry to children for the damaging errors and flawed decisions it committed throughout the pandemic.

Cycle of Fatalism Within Ministers Led to Failure to Help Children

Presenting evidence to the investigation's open session, the former commissioner stated that a cycle of fatalism among government leaders resulted in the administration failed to do more to help the younger generation.

She argued that the extended lockdowns and school closures were to blame for the explosion in psychological, wellbeing and conduct difficulties still being experienced the youth.

“The young individuals who lived through the Covid pandemic – some of whom will now be adults and some of whom are just beginning school – are due a official sorry from the prime minister in the legislature after the investigation has published its final report,” she said.

Official Sorry Would Recognise Preventable Errors and Harm Caused

“An apology would give the government an opportunity to formally acknowledge the avoidable mistakes and the harm that was caused to numerous young people's wellbeing, schooling, health, growth, and security, following choices that were made by the administration at the time in 2020 and 2021.

“It would be a chance to say sorry, and to assure that lessons really will be taken on board, in case of another pandemic or national emergency in the future.”

Young People's Needs Came Behind to Pubs, Stores and Adults

Longfield said her advice or opinions were infrequently sought by the government during the pandemic, and told the inquiry that the needs of children often “were placed after in the queue to bars, shops, amusement centres but also grown-ups, the whole time”.

Welfare Services Provision Reduced Throughout Crisis

She was especially disapproving of the administration's decision to remove several aspects of welfare services throughout the pandemic, including weakening requirements for visits to vulnerable children.

The restrictions on home checks and the increasing use of virtual meetings allowed certain families to avoid or hide their living conditions, she indicated.

“Households, if they wanted to, could easily see how they could hold the meeting in a neat, spotless area, and the other parts of the home might not be the identical,” Longfield said.

Reduced standards meant social workers were unable to talk to at-risk children without their parents present, or to consult other family members who might have worries.

Lack of Creative Solutions in Education and Child Welfare

The former commissioner expressed she was frustrated that the administration failed to use any creative problem-solving around educational institutions and child protection that different sectors of government, such as the NHS, had employed to solve challenges.

“There wasn’t the sort of emergency response that medical facilities got, in the education system. Numerous measures could have been handled in another way around keeping schools open but they were not.

“Similarly with social care, [the government] moved straight to an result around reducing duties,” she added.

Long-Term Impacts Still Being Felt Children

She stated the consequences on children and young people were still being felt, referring to the twofold increase in long-term non-attendance from school, the 80% increase in education, health and care plans provided for children with special needs, and a tripling in autism spectrum diagnoses among youngsters since prior to the pandemic.

She commented the evidence “clearly demonstrates on the increase in virtually every indicator of [increased] vulnerability, from pre-Covid to today”.