A report published by the Australian Human Rights Commission has highlighted the serious impact COVID-19 has had on children and young people’s mental health, social connections and education.

The report examined data from 2,567 counselling sessions with Kids Helpline and found that: 

• Mental health was the most common issue raised by children and young people, with nearly a third describing it as a concern. They spoke about feelings of worry and stress, being trapped or frustrated, anger, sadness, loss and grief. 
• One-fifth of children and young people raised the impact of social isolation and being unable to connect with friends.
• Many children and young people also said they struggled with changes to their learning environment and with the impacts the pandemic had on their family life.

The Human Rights Commission said that the study highlights the need for children and young people to be prioritised during and after the pandemic. 

Humanrights.gov.au: Pandemic: Serious impacts on kids

Autism Spectrum Australia: Top concerns and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic