Coronavirus and Me: Experiences of children from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Backgrounds 

Read the report

Read the accessible summary with symbols

In March 2020 Wales was put into lockdown because of Coronavirus.

We wanted to find out how the lockdown was affecting all children and young people across Wales.

So we made a survey for children and young people called Coronavirus and Me.

Other people helped us to make the survey too and to tell children and young people about it:

  • The Welsh Government
  • The Welsh Youth Parliament
  • Children in Wales

Who did the survey?

Over 23,000 children and young people between 3-18 did the survey in May 2020.

1,496 children and young people who did the survey were from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) background.

We asked all children and young people who did survey the same questions.

BAME children

Lots of children and young people from BAME backgrounds said that they had negative experiences of the lockdown.

They were more likely than children and young people who aren’t from a BAME background to say this.

What 7-11 year old BAME children said

Extra help

Compared to white Welsh or white British Children, they were more likely to say they needed more information and help for things like:

  • online school work
  • speaking to friends and family online
  • feeling safe at home

Food

More likely to say they were worried about their family having enough food

Playing

More likely to say they were playing less

Exercising

Less likely to say they were exercising outside

Libraries

More likely to say that libraries and community centres closing affected their learning.

Information

More likely to say they wanted more information on Coronavirus

Support

Less likely to say they knew how to get support to feel happy and well

Feeling happy

Less likely to say they felt happy ‘most of the time’, or safe ‘most of the time’

Help with Welsh

More likely to say they wanted more support with their Welsh if they attended English medium schools

What 12-18 year old BAME children said

Healthy food and exercise

Compared to white Welsh or white British Children, BAME children were:

  • more likely to say they want help to eat healthy food and stay active
  • less likely to say they were exercising outdoors

Learning

More likely to say they were worried about falling behind with their learning, and about how their exam results could be affected

Libraries

More likely to say that libraries closing affected their learning

Food

More likely to say they were worried about their family having enough food

More information

More likely to say they want more information on the rules on keeping safe

Feeling safe

Less likely to say they felt safe ‘most of the time’

Using Welsh at home

More likely to say they were not getting opportunities to use Welsh (of those attending Welsh medium schools).

What will happen next

We will be working with BAME children and young people to get a better understanding of their worries, so we can tell the Government and others what they need to change.

We’ll be asking Government to take these findings seriously and make the changes that are needed to improve BAME children and young people’s experiences.