Pandemic led 44% of Brazilian children and adolescents to experience greater sadness

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A survey conducted by the Lemann Foundation in partnership with Natura Institute showed that 94% of children and adolescents experienced some behavioral change during the pandemic.

According to parents and guardians, 56% gained weight, 44% felt sadness, 38% were more fearful, and 34% lost interest in school.

The survey “Where and how are children and adolescents while schools are closed?” indicated that rates for sleeping more, being more quiet, or having more trouble sleeping were higher among children who stayed home alone.

In terms of children and adolescents from lower income households with up to two minimum wages, 59% gained weight, 51% slept more, 48% became more agitated, 46% were more sad, and 35% lost interest in school.

The survey interviewed 1,315 people responsible for over 2,100 children and adolescents (4 to 18 years old) enrolled in public schools or not in school, from all over Brazil between June 16 and July 7, 2021. The survey also interviewed 218 youths between ages 10 and 15.

Food

When food security was evaluated, 34% of households said that the amount of food was less than enough, particularly in the Northeast (46%) and in the South (18%).

Among those reporting insufficient food, 63% are black and mixed race, 63% of households earn up to one minimum wage, and 66% said that someone in the household lost his or her job or income during the pandemic.

The survey also showed that the meals of children and teenagers were better before the pandemic: 81% of parents said it was great or good before the outbreak of Covid-19, a rate that fell to 74%. The rate among respondents who considered the food to be average increased from 16% to 23%, and poor remained stable at 2%.

More time on electronic devices

According to the survey, 10% of children and youths spend the day at other people’s houses, half of them at their grandparents’ residence. Of the 90% who stay at their guardians’ home (father, mother, stepmother and/or stepfather), 14% are left alone or only with siblings, with no responsible adults.

The survey also showed that the home activity routine has changed: 37% of children and teenagers play video or cell phone games more often than before Covid-19, and 43% have increased their TV viewing.

Other key data showed that 6% of 7 to 18 year olds are working, with the percentage being higher among blacks (10%). Of the total number of young people working, 60% began in 2021 and 74% are boys. The average age is 16, of which 9% are between 11 and 14, 68% are between 15 and 17, and 23% are 18.

Youths

Among the children and teenagers interviewed, 75% said they miss the classroom or a teacher, and 60% miss social interaction and friends. A total of 66% believe that their future will be impaired by the pandemic. At least 40% had dream jobs before the pandemic, and this percentage now stands at 37%. For 17%, the main dream now is for the pandemic to end.

“This demonstrates the role of the school and its environment in the lives of these children and adolescents. It is obviously a place to expand one’s knowledge and learning, but it is also a place for socializing and personal development, and for many it is also a place to eat. This highlights the role of the school and the return to classes,” said Natura Institute’s manager Maria Slemenson, responsible for the articulation of priority agendas in education.

The survey showed that 3% of children and adolescents are not enrolled in school. Of these, 32% said they were not in school because of the pandemic, and another 32% said they were unable to find a spot in the public school system. Furthermore, 62% of out-of-school children are aged between 4 and 6.

Students completing their assignments account for 92%, with 89% of parents saying they monitor their children’s activities at school and in online classes.

“We at the Lemann Foundation believe that quality public education changes people’s lives and it is they who can change our country. We have been working to assist the education networks with studies, data, best practices and guidance so that each network may restart in-person classes and ensure that all children can learn with quality, in the most varied realities of the country,” said the Lemann Foundation’s Education Project Coordinator Barbara Panseri.

“We are aware of the magnitude of inequalities in Brazil, we know that children and teenagers with lower incomes, from the Northeast and black people, have less access to quality internet, and that remote learning has amplified our students’ inequalities,” Pansen added.

Source: Agência Brasil