The interim report from 5,000 responses to the Co-SPACE (COVID-19 Supporting Parents, Adolescents, and Children in Epidemics) survey led by experts at the University of Oxford, indicates some important concerns for parents, employers and health professionals. Parents cited work as their most frequent source of stress while in lockdown, followed by worries over their children's wellbeing and education.
Families with children who have special education needs and neurodevelopmental disorders report even higher levels of stress across all area. 80% of families who were previously receiving support from social services say it's been stopped or postponed, leaving them with further challenges.
Professor Cathy Creswell, Departments of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, said, “This study is so important to understand the experiences of families currently and how this crisis is impacting on them, but also so we can know how best to support families going forward. Our results are showing some hotspots of concern, particularly for parents of children with special education needs and neurodevelopmental disorders. These parents report increased stress across all areas, including managing their children’s behaviour, they also express a desire for personalised support from professionals.”