The UK Covid Inquiry has opened its investigation into the impact of the pandemic on children and young people., external
Areas it will focus on include how children’s education, development, mental health and use of social media were affected.
The inquiry said it would listen to children with special educational needs, disabilities and from a diverse range of ethnic and other backgrounds.
Public hearings are likely to start at some point in 2025.
When the draft terms of the Covid inquiry – which covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – were published in March 2022, there was criticism that they failed to even mention the impact on children and young people.
But after a public consultation, the pandemic’s effect on the health, wellbeing and education of children was included.
The inquiry began in 2022 and public hearings started in 2023, chaired by former High Court judge Baroness Heather Hallett.