COVID‐19 pandemic: The impact on vulnerable children and young people in Australia

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated system disruptions are impacting all children and young people (CYP) in Australia. For vulnerable groups of CYP, who already experience poorer health and well-being, these impacts are amplified. Challenges include reduced access to usual services, reduced community supports, financial instability, unemployment and other life circumstances that threaten to widen pre-existing inequities. This article aims to present the reasons for vulnerability of CYP during the pandemic, and to focus on actions by health professionals that mitigate additional challenges to their health and well-being. Using a rapid review of the literature and team-based discussions, eight vulnerable groups were identified: CYP with disabilities, mental health conditions and chronic diseases; CYP facing financial hardship; within the child protection system; Aboriginal; migrant and refugee; in residential care; rural; and isolated CYP. Recommendations for action are required at the level of governments, health professionals and researchers and include enhancing access to health and social supports, prioritising vulnerable CYP in resuming health activity and elevating the voice of CYP in designing the response. The pandemic can be conceptualised as an opportunity to create a more equitable society as we document the inequities that have been exacerbated. Vulnerable groups of CYP must be recognised and heard, and targeted actions must focus on improving their health outcomes during the pandemic and beyond.

Diversity, inclusivity and equity

“…Within the COVID‐19 environment has also come a tsunami of health research that has highlighted how communities, traditionally impacted by inequitable health outcomes, have been most impacted by COVID‐19. This research reinforces the impact of systemic racism and bias that has been maintained in pre‐COVID‐19 health environments 11–16 . This has bought into question how current curricula have not adequately challenged the role of health systems in maintaining health inequity within specific communities and the curricula's ongoing othering of these communities.…”

Children’s pictures of COVID-19 and measures to mitigate its spread: An international qualitative study

“…Reports suggest that throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, children have experienced higher levels of mental ill health (Loades et al, 2020;Nearchou et al, 2020), poorer diet and reductions in cardiovascular fitness (Dunton et al, 2020;Xiang et al, 2020). Children with pre-existing vulnerabilities or who are socio-economically deprived have been highlighted as particularly at risk of poorer health and well-being outcomes as a result of the pandemic (Jones et al, 2020;López-Bueno et al, 2021). While uncertainty remains about children's infection and transmission rates (Munro and Roland, 2020), there is consensus that children tend to experience milder infection than adults (Götzinger et al, 2020;Laws et al, 2021).…”

Mental Health and Wellbeing of 9–12-year-old Children in Northern Canada Before the COVID-19 Pandemic and After the First Lockdown

“…Instead, these items are suitable to administer in the general (rather than clinical) populations of school-aged children in school-based research, and serve as a precursor to early onset of mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, conduct disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) [ 33 ]. While we employed a repeated cross-sectional study design, which is the design of choice when estimating trends over time, future research based on cohort studies of vulnerable children and youth will help reveal potential long-term negative psychosocial outcomes that might emerge from the stressors surrounding the pandemic, the limited social interactions and disrupted education [ 34 ]. Additionally, without a comparison or control schools, it is not possible to attribute the APPLE Schools health promotion programming to mental health and wellbeing outcomes.…”