Direct provision system 'magnified' issues faced by children during Covid-19 lockdown
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A new report highlighting the experiences of children in direct provision during the coronavirus pandemic has said conditions in the DP system are likely to increase the risks posed by the Covid-19 virus and heighten the stress and anxiety of those living there.
The Office of the Ombudsman for Children (OCO) report, , got the views of six children living in the DP system and found the boredom, loneliness and frustration felt by children everywhere during the pandemic and associated lockdown was magnified for those in DP centres.
The report outlines how many children have experienced isolation from their friends and family, or have been worried about family members and are struggling with taking care of their own mental health and that these difficulties are often worse for children living in direct provision accommodation.
"Living in confined spaces, losing the physical, educational and social environment of school, poor internet access and the high number of cases reported in direct provision accommodation all contribute to children’s increased levels of anxiety and sense of isolation," it said.
As of October 24 last, there were 313 cases of Covid-19 reported in direct provision accommodation, representing 4% of all direct provision residents compared to virus prevalence rate of 1.3% for the rest of the population.
According to the report:
The OCO said the children spoken to for this mini-report were not a representative sample but their stories did illustrate the lived experiences of the six children.
On communal living, one child said: "We do not feel safe because there are loads of families here. Me and my family still do not feel safe. Even when I go outside sometimes, I do not feel safe.”
Children who live in Direct Provision centres have been telling us what life was like for them during the Covid pandemic.
— Ombudsman for Children (@OCO_ireland) December 10, 2020
Read our new report on Life in Lockdown: A Direct Provision experience, here:https://t.co/3bNeqB11VR#HumanRightsDay #DirectProvision pic.twitter.com/bNfyl1Twe1
Another said " [The direct provision centre] is kind of a small place, and once a few people get infected it is so easy for everyone to get infected. That is why we were so scared about us getting infected. Because we have my grandma, we were stricter about it, because she is very weak.”
One family had to self-isolate in a hotel in Dublin after management in their DP centre became worried about their exposure to a confirmed case. The child said:
Obtaining food was difficult in some centres and the closure of schools also presented challenges, exacerbated by unstable internet connections in DP centres. One child said: "My whole life has been moving schools. Since I came to Ireland, I just have been moving schools. I just have not had the opportunity to study in just a school.”
Information about Covid-19 was not always readily available in different languages, while isolation was a huge issue for the children who were interviewed.
According to the report: "Without exception, the children we spoke to about living in direct provision accommodation during the first Covid-19 lockdown expressed worry for their safety and fear for the future. The lockdown amplified the isolation, exclusion and marginalisation of these children who were already living, in many cases, on the fringes of Irish society."
You can read the report here