Eshal Sajid is a 15 year old student and the lead researcher on a new study called “COVID-19: What does it mean for my family and I? A journey through the eyes of a child”. Eshal is also on the Childnet youth advisory board for Project deSHAME.
This new piece of research looks at what help and support young people want from their parents and carers during COVID-19.
The research found that:
- 65% of young people asked thought of their COVID-19 experience negatively
- 65% thought their parents and carers could do more to help them
- 95% of young people said their screen usage has increased a lot during quarantine.
- 80% of parents believe their children are not going outside enough and are spending too much time on screens
The full research is hosted here, with the authors’ permission.
Eshal also wrote an open letter to parents exploring the key findings and giving handy tips on things they can do to support their children. One of these great tips is:
- Spending time together
What you can do: Make sure that your kid has a place where they can be alone, and remember they are going to want their own space. Plan some time together and organise fun activities (like a movie night or going out for a walk) to do together twice a week or more. Let’s use a rota to pick activities that everyone can enjoy.
We spoke to Eshal to find out about her research, and what the findings were.
