Covid: Babies 'disadvantaged' by pandemic, charities say

Some babies and toddlers who have missed out on social interaction in the Covid pandemic could suffer in the long term, a group of charities have said.

The Early Years Action Group said more funding was needed and called for politicians to prioritise the needs of babies and toddlers aged two and under.

One playgroup manager said she felt the sector had been "neglected" and said they should be allowed to reopen.

The Welsh Government said any update would be announced "in due course".

Anna Westall, from Children in Wales, said attention had been given to what happens to school-age children during the pandemic, but younger children should not be overlooked.

She said: "We have known for some time just how important the first 1,000 days are for the rest of a person's life.

"This period has a long-lasting impact on children's intellectual, emotional and social development, affecting educational outcomes, future relationships and opportunities and longer-term physical and mental health.

"We cannot afford to overlook the needs of our youngest children if we are to avoid lengthening the time it takes for us to deal with the impact of the pandemic."

Kate Worgan, who runs a babies and toddler play group, has been holding online sessions during the pandemic, but she said this is not enough to properly support children.

She has started a petition to allow community playgroups to reopen.

She said: "We're really worried about the development of our babies and toddlers because without group sessions it's really difficult to access the developmental activities we do.

"We have all the equipment they don't have at home. It's really difficult to accurately recreate that online."

Mother-of-three, Efi Nydriodi, from Cardiff, said multiple lockdowns had been especially tough for her youngest son, Alex, three.

Alex has started school for the first time this week, which Efi said was a "relief".

Prior to the pandemic Efi said Alex was developing into a social and creative two-year-old, but the lockdowns have impacted on his progress.

She said: "It's been devastating watching my child become more lonely and depressed at home.

"It stopped his development completely because his brain needed other people to imitate, to talk to, and he's lost out on a lot of that.

"They have to be with other people their age and socialise - not always be with us as parents. This is the time they learn how to be part of society and the Covid situation has stopped that."

Before the pandemic Efi and Alex attended Home Start Cymru play sessions at their local library. The charity supports young families in their local community.

Chief executive of Home Start Cymru, Bethan Webber, said: "We've seen disproportionate impacts on families on low incomes and it's also shone a big light on the experiences of parents of new babies born either just before lockdown or during lockdown."

Ms Webber added: "What we're calling for now is that the first one thousand days of a child's life is placed at the heart of everything the government does, from decision making to investment.

"We're calling for greater accountability and for a cabinet minister for children who can provide greater transparency around what is invested in this area."

The Welsh Government said the reopening of children's activities was subject to the first minister's lockdown review, and any update would be announced in "due course".

It added it had invested more than £140m in support for families during the past academic year.

It said: "The welfare of children has been at the centre of our plans in responding to Covid-19. Childcare and play works settings, including Flying Start, have been open to all children since June 2020 and we recently confirmed arrangements for support bubbles for families of children under one."

Plaid Cymru's shadow minister for education, Siân Gwenllian MS, said: "We would invest in free early years education for all children from 24 months until they start school.

"Our youngest children, who know nothing but being in a pandemic - who haven't had the opportunity to interact with other children - deserve no less."

She added: "This crisis must lead to lasting positive change, and it starts with focusing fully on how this pandemic has affected our children - including the very youngest."

Laura Anne Jones, the Welsh Conservatives' shadow minister for children and young people, said: "As part of our comeback programme for young people, we will be looking at how to support the development of young people and children of all ages, to ensure that they can bounce back from lost learning, lack of interaction with their peers and to put an emphasis on development opportunities for young babies and children.

"Ensuring, particularly in the case of looked after children, that their futures aren't hampered any further by the pandemic."