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Covid-19 worries and parent stress (June 2020)

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Co-SPACE Ireland

Key findings

  • The majority of parents (83%) reported that their child thought that COVID-19was a very serious issue.
  • Child’s wellbeing was the main stressor (46.8%) for parents, followed by work (42.9%), the child’s education (42%), screen-time (40.5%) and friends and family outside the home (37.7%).
  • Parents of a child with SEN/ND reported feeling more stressed about all potential stressors compared to those without a child with SEN/ND.
  • Overall, 72.3% of parents/carers felt they would benefit from advice, support, or help in relation to their child’s response to COVID-19.
  • Managing their child’s emotions and managing their child’s educational demands were the two most popular responses for areas parents felt they would like help with.
  • While parents with SEN/ND expressed they would benefit from help with their child’s emotions and educational demands, they also reported that they would like advice on managing their child’s behaviours.
  • The majority of parents with a child with SEN who had been receiving support prior to COVID-19reported that this support had been impacted by the pandemic (94.7%). Most parents (97.5%) reported that support for mental health, emotional or behavioural difficulties was impacted (61% stopped/postponed; 13.4% reduced; 23.2% moved to online support.)