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Lookup NU author(s): Helen Spencer, Dr Aditya SharmaORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2021 Taylor & Francis.Background: Families of children with developmental delays (DD) prior to the COVID-19 pandemic experienced inequalities in accessing health and social care services. Measures put in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus have potentially exacerbated existing inequalities and have led to additional pressures for these families. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional online survey of parents of young children with moderate to severe DD and challenging behaviors living in England, UK. We asked about the impact the pandemic has had on their family well-being, receipt of support, and post COVID-19 concerns. Results: Eighty-eight parents who are participants in an ongoing clinical trial (EPICC-ID) reported a broad range of challenges they faced during the pandemic: lack of information specific to children with DD; difficulties following social distancing and isolation rules; disruption or pause of health and social care services; deterioration in parental mental health and regression of the child’s skills. Future access to services, negative long-term impact of school closures, parental unemployment were the parents’ main post-COVID-19 concerns. Conclusions: Families of children with significant developmental delays fear lasting impact of the pandemic on their own psychological and material wellbeing and on their child’s health. These families require urgent help to meet major health and social care needs and should be prioritized within an overall children’s mental health strategy. The article includes a commentary from parents with lived experience.
Author(s): Paulauskaite L, Farris O, Spencer H, Absoud A, Absoud M, Ambler G, Barnes J, Hunter R, Kyriakopoulos M, Paliokosta E, Panca M, Royston R, Sharma A, Slonims V, Sutcliffe A, Thomas M
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities
Year: 2021
Volume: 14
Issue: 2
Pages: 225-236
Online publication date: 19/01/2021
Acceptance date: 02/04/2016
Date deposited: 02/02/2021
ISSN (print): 1931-5864
ISSN (electronic): 1931-5872
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/19315864.2021.1874578
DOI: 10.1080/19315864.2021.1874578
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