COVID-19 could create a ‘lost generation’ of vulnerable teenagers

The Guardian and LocalGov report that Anne Longfield, the children’s commissioner for England, has called for focused intervention as the country emerges from lockdown, so that tens of thousands of vulnerable teenagers whose lives have been disrupted by COVID-19 aren’t at risk of slipping out of education and becoming ‘easy prey’ for criminal gangs

The commissioner’s report looked at the number of teenagers aged 13-17 in each local authority in England who were on the radar of schools and social care in 2017/18. It found that 123,000 fell through gaps in provision, becoming invisible to services.

The report calls on councils to work with schools and police to focus resources on teenagers at risk of becoming ‘invisible’ to services or who have gone missing under lockdown. It also calls for the Government to work with local areas to help them set up summer schemes to give young people safe and structured activities to take part in.

Full articles:

LocalGov - Coronavirus could create a ‘lost generation’ of vulnerable

The Guardian - England's vulnerable teenagers at risk of 'falling off the radar'