Impact of COVID-19 on mental health: FOI release

Information requested

Details of the risk assessments of the psychological effects of lockdown, social distancing, school closures and the wearing of face coverings on the mental health of primary school age children.

Response

The Mental Health Research Advisory Group has been established to follow research developments to understand the medium and long term impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental health. Its primary purpose is knowledge exchange to inform the development of the Scottish Government’s Mental Health policy response to COVID-19. The Advisory Group has not performed risk assessments. However, impact assessments have been carried out in relation to the re-opening of schools.

You may find the following links to Scottish Government publications helpful:
Closing and re-opening of Schools - Impact Assessment
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/impact-assessment-closure-reopening-schools-part-covid-19-recovery-process-scotland/pages/2/

Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis
https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/strategyplan/2020/05/coronavirus-covid-19-framework-decision-making-scotlands-route-map-through-outcrisis/documents/covid-19-framework-decision-making-scotlands-route-map-through-out-crisis/covid-19-framework-decision-making-scotlands-route-map-through-out-crisis/govscot%3Adocument/covid-19-framework-decision-making-scotlands-route-map-through-out-crisis.pdf?forceDownload=true

Advisory Note on Physical Distancing in ELC and Childcare Settings
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-advisory-sub-group-on-education-and-childrens-issues---physical-distancing-in-early-learning-and-childcare-settings-elc/

Guidance on preparing for the start of the new school term in August 2020
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-preparing-start-new-school-term-august-2020/

Guidance on reopening early learning and childcare services
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-reopening-earlylearning-and-childcare-services/

Guidance on individual risk assessment for the workplace
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-individual-risk-assessment-for-the-workplace/

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.