The perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and well-being of care-experienced people
The perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and well-being of care-experienced people
The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on care-experienced people has been the subject of research, but important gaps remain in our understanding of how care-experienced people felt their mental health and well-being were affected by the pandemic. Care-experienced adults from across the UK were invited to complete a survey and submit a diary during the first lockdown. Responses were received from 140 people, aged eighteen to sixty-nine years. Most respondents reported that their mental health deteriorated due to the pandemic and lockdown. However, a substantial minority thought that either there had been no change or the lockdown had helped them make positive improvements. Improvements were attributed to stable housing and employment, support from services and transferable skills they had learnt in care. A minority of respondents referred to their care status in their diaries. Most diarists presented their experiences as being common to other, non-care-experienced, people. This article showcases the resilience of many care-experienced people, including some who made explicit reference to the benefits of coping strategies developed while in care. The findings of this study reveal that when provided with the right support, the care system can assist people to develop important life skills.
care-experienced, care-leavers, Covid-19 pandemic, mental health, online research, young people
Taylor, Jonathan
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Pooley, Siân
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Canning, Rosie
87438696-c56c-47b4-8cf9-cc7fe6e1fc09
O'Higgins, Aoife
891c5568-7146-47b2-a478-21c7bd1fe58e
Bowes, Lucy
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4 April 2024
Taylor, Jonathan
d052b869-1bbc-4cb0-bdec-192ea49608d1
Pooley, Siân
297413f4-6235-4c2a-a655-a24456a8d392
Canning, Rosie
87438696-c56c-47b4-8cf9-cc7fe6e1fc09
O'Higgins, Aoife
891c5568-7146-47b2-a478-21c7bd1fe58e
Bowes, Lucy
30f9ad15-08f2-4d1d-b780-a5a4fdaa6e57
Taylor, Jonathan, Pooley, Siân, Canning, Rosie, O'Higgins, Aoife and Bowes, Lucy
(2024)
The perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and well-being of care-experienced people.
British Journal of Social Work, [bcae038].
(doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcae038).
Abstract
The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on care-experienced people has been the subject of research, but important gaps remain in our understanding of how care-experienced people felt their mental health and well-being were affected by the pandemic. Care-experienced adults from across the UK were invited to complete a survey and submit a diary during the first lockdown. Responses were received from 140 people, aged eighteen to sixty-nine years. Most respondents reported that their mental health deteriorated due to the pandemic and lockdown. However, a substantial minority thought that either there had been no change or the lockdown had helped them make positive improvements. Improvements were attributed to stable housing and employment, support from services and transferable skills they had learnt in care. A minority of respondents referred to their care status in their diaries. Most diarists presented their experiences as being common to other, non-care-experienced, people. This article showcases the resilience of many care-experienced people, including some who made explicit reference to the benefits of coping strategies developed while in care. The findings of this study reveal that when provided with the right support, the care system can assist people to develop important life skills.
Text
bcae038
- Version of Record
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Accepted/In Press date: 8 March 2024
Published date: 4 April 2024
Keywords:
care-experienced, care-leavers, Covid-19 pandemic, mental health, online research, young people
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 489852
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/489852
ISSN: 0045-3102
PURE UUID: 2f66f6ab-eaee-48c0-8d4f-cba769dd199d
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Date deposited: 03 May 2024 16:43
Last modified: 04 May 2024 01:50
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Contributors
Author:
Jonathan Taylor
Author:
Siân Pooley
Author:
Aoife O'Higgins
Author:
Lucy Bowes
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