Another week in the paediatric clinic, another week of #Covid19 induced massive difficulty for children & families, particularly the poorest.

Please! Whatever we think about schools, can we stop auto-speaking "children are resiliant" and they'll "bounce back" because... 1/n

whilst MOST children we very much hope will be fine, (& some will even thrive!)... 2/n

for many, pandemic is destructive and damaging. We know that adversity through the early years sticks, and can manifest through childhood, adolescence, and onwards into adulthood... 3/n

And it's hard to see how things are going to get wonderfully better "post-COVID" 4/n

Childrens lives go way beyond schools but are certainly key. In this country we currently have situation where parents are expected to work and look after young children simultaneously (impossible) and where playing with your friends is illegal 5/n

Nevermind that health, social, and voluntary-sector services - usually a lifeline - have broken down or disappeared

I sadly don't think it's an exaggeration to say that children and families have been abandoned 6/n

The problems of #Covid19 are hugely difficult, the solutions are nearly unfathomably complex.

Children are currently locked away to protect us adults. Lets give they & their families huge respect & thanks.

Just saying kids'll be ok isn't enough, we need to invest & act.

7/end

p.s more on this from @guardian https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/17/a-brutal-covid-legacy-awaits-our-children-we-need-the-will-and-ambition-to-tackle-it

p.p.s a call for commission on post-covid childhood https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/16/letters-our-children-are-in-crisis-and-need-help