Children and COVID-19 Research Library

Special schools play a significant role in the daily lives of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. This study explored the impact of the COVID19-related first lockdown and resulting school closure by surveying parents whose children attended three special schools in Bedford, UK. It investigated about anxiety and impact on emotional well-being and education.

School closures due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic put challenges on teachers, students and their parents. In particular, students with special educational needs or students with low achievement levels who need more support in learning may have more difficulties coping compared to their peers. Using longitudinal data of the German National Educational Panel Study, the circumstances of students in secondary school during the time of school closures are characterised, in particular focusing on students who have been diagnosed with special educational needs or showing low achievement levels at the end of primary school.