Children's Services Minister Rebecca Schulz. (Government of Alberta)

By David Opinko/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Panel invites input on how pandemic has impacted youth in Alberta

May 28, 2021 | 8:58 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Government of Alberta has created a new panel that will look into how youth have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Children’s Services Minister Rebecca Schulz will co-chair the Child and Youth Well-Being Review Panel alongside Calgary-South East MLA Matt Jones.

They hope to understand the full scope of the psychological, social, educational, and physical impacts resulting from and related to the pandemic on youth.

This includes:

• Addressing gaps in accessing mental health, social, and educational supports, services, and programs
• Further collaborating with parents, youth, and community stakeholders to improve current programs and services
• Monitoring COVID-19 impacts on youth over time

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“The pandemic has deeply affected all of our lives, and we know this is true for children and youth as well. Preliminary research has shown increased anxiety, mental health concerns, and young kids not meeting developmental milestones. We want to know what that looks like and what we can do about it,” says Schulz.

The panel will have discussions with researchers, educators, healthcare professionals, mental health experts, and parents and children in Alberta.

Recommendations will be made to the provincial government in the fall of 2021.

“This has been a year like no other, and understanding the long-term impacts that COVID has had on our physical, mental and emotional health is especially important for our children and youth who are in the fundamental development stages of life,” says Health Minister Tyler Shandro. “The expert panel’s summary will help us move forward to help ensure our kids have a healthy and promising future while they grow and develop.”

An online survey has been launched on the province’s website that is open to the public. The deadline to fill it out is July 31.

There will also be a telephone town hall at a yet-to-be-determined date.