The Kinderfreunde Steiermark locate massive problems for children and adolescents due to the ongoing corona lockdown. The months-long calls from the child friends for a regular child’s life were confirmed on Monday by the head of the department for child and adolescent psychiatry at the State Neurological Clinic Sigmund Freud Graz. “Child and adolescent psychiatry is overcrowded, children suffer from depression, eating disorders and suicidal ideation from an early age,” says Primaria Dr. Katharina Purtscher-Penz. “The loss of social contacts and positive experiences, which was mainly caused by the school closings, brings children and young people into great personal difficulties.”
The chairwoman of Kinderfreunde Steiermark, Alexia Getzinger, agrees with Primaria Purtscher-Penz that everything must be done to ensure regular school operations and extracurricular activities, such as regular group lessons by the Kinderfreunde local groups, in the long term. Unfortunately, the feared emotional, social and physical consequential damage has now become very clear as depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, social withdrawal and increased media consumption. Children need contacts, children need friends, children want to learn, children want to play. And that works best in educational institutions by far.
There is still a lack of political stance to regard children and young people and their education as systemically relevant and to do everything for the well-being and positive development of children. And as in spring 2020, Getzinger once again demands: “Regulations must already be discussed and fixed as to how the educational institutions (schools, after-school care centers, kindergartens and crèches) can start operating properly and regularly in autumn 2021 with the presence of all those involved. And of course the safety and health of the children and the teachers in the educational institutions must also be ensured! “
If the soul is not doing well – is the body not doing well either! According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the well-being of young people is to be given priority. With the current regulations relating to Corona, Kinderfreunde Steiermark see a strong impairment of the physical and mental development and health of children and adolescents.
“The stress at school and the pressure to perform is extremely high due to the constant distance learning. There is a lack of balance through sport, social contacts or leisure, “said the regional chairwoman of Kinderfreunde Steiermark.” Yes, we are living in a global pandemic. Yes, measures are needed to contain the virus. Kinderfreunde Steiermark take these measures to protect our loved ones and the entire population with pleasure and conscientiously. In the same breath one has to say: “The development and development of children through education and social contacts should be promoted and must not be restricted,” concluded Getzinger.