The government was warned that more children would die from suicide than from COVID-19 before closing schools, according to a report.
A parents group has collated key moments where the government reportedly missed to avert damage caused by school closures during COVID lockdowns.
In England, during the 2020–2021 academic year, schools were open to all pupils in the Autumn term, however during the Spring term schools were only open to key workers and vulnerable children from January for the first half term, before all pupils returned during the second half term.
A joint briefing paper by the Department for Education and the Independent Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Behaviours warned in November 2020 that “many more children will die from suicide than COVID-19 this year” as it cited evidence of a rise in self-harm among young people during lockdown….