Almost half (49 per cent) of respondents to the survey by primary school physical activity provider Premier Education admit that the pandemic is putting a strain on family life. One parent commented, ‘The pressure on families at this time is immense and everyone’s mental health is being hugely affected.’
More than a third of the 2,000 parents surveyed felt that they do not have enough support on how to look after their children’s mental health and many reported finding home schooling a challenge for both themselves and their children.
The majority of parents (87 per cent) said that their children have communicated that they are missing school and just under a half of respondents reported that their children are feeling lonely. Parents expressed concern about the lack of social interaction that their children are receiving while the schools are closed.
It was also found that 55 per cent of children are currently doing less than the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
Premier Education head of child journey Kevin Holland said, ‘It’s no wonder that 56 per cent of parents are worried about their children’s future due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a nation we’ve never experienced anything like this before and everyone’s mental health is being tested.
‘Critically, we need to make sure that children are getting the support they need to manage this on a daily basis. We can do this by empowering parents with the right tools to encourage a holistic approach to mental health, whether this is mindfulness activities, getting creative or staying active.’
In response to the crisis, Premier Education has compiled a free activity pack that parents can use at home with their children to support physical and mental health: https://www.premier-education.com/stay-active/
