17 May 2022

Paediatricians and physicians from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) are amplifying their call for all parties to commit to establishing a recovery taskforce led by a Chief Paediatrician to support children through the enormous setbacks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

New data shows that students are experiencing lowered learning trajectories due to the setbacks from pandemic. Students in years seven, eight and nine who had to learn from home are returning to school with lower numeracy levels than expected, compared to levels they would have reached if schools remained open.

RACP President and Paediatrician Dr Jacqueline Small says, “From these data, it’s clear that the effects are showing in children’s level of educational development.

“We need a major taskforce to address the challenges that children are facing.

“The impacts, and how these will be compounded, are deeply concerning if they are not thoroughly examined and addressed at a national level across all sectors.

“The pandemic has interrupted and overturned many parts of children’s lives. Losing that face-to-face learning, opportunities to socialise with family and friends, and undertake extracurricular activities, has been detrimental to their wellbeing.

“As a developmental paediatrician I see this in my work every day. Children have faced so many challenges and hurdles for over two years and some of those impacts are yet to be realised. These are especially significant for children living with disabilities, where tutoring and other supports must be targeted according to their needs.

“This is why we need a National Chief Paediatrician to lead the way and be an important clinical voice for the health and wellbeing of young people in Australia. The appointment of a Chief Paediatrician to oversee and ensure that children are given the best supports possible will be crucial to mitigating long-term impacts on learning and development” Dr Small says.

The Kids COVID Catch Up campaign has brought together medical specialists, healthcare professionals, families, and young people from across the country to call on all parties to commit to:

• establishing a National COVID-19 taskforce to lead a recovery plan
• appointing and funding a National Chief Paediatrician
• funding and implementing the National Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy
• increasing Commonwealth funding for evidence-based school support, such as tutoring, for students with disability or learning difficulties
• implementing universal access to early education programs for all three-year-olds
• restricting marketing of unhealthy diets to children and young people through regulation.

Find out more about the RACP’s Kids COVID Catch Up campaign.

Authorised by Peter McIntyre, CEO, The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, 145 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000