VANCOUVER -- A new survey on the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is seeking input from children as young as eight years old.
Dr. S. Evelyn Stewart, the director of psychiatry research at BC Children's Hospital, said the short survey will help determine what kinds of supports and services are needed during the global crisis.
"This research has the potential to transform the lives of children and families across the province who are struggling with unmet mental health care needs," Stewart said in a news release. "We will provide decision-makers with rigorous evidence to guide clinical and policy decisions for this and future pandemics."
The survey was put together by BC Children's Hospital along with researchers from Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia, and is also open to young people and adults. Parents can share the experiences of their children as well, though researchers said they're "keen to hear directly from young people, whose voices have been missing so far from the conversation."
The team behind the survey said it takes about 20-30 minutes to complete, and they're hoping a minimum of 3,000 people will participate.
Jennifer Barkman, a mother of children with special needs, has already taken part. She said her kids have displayed "a lot more feelings and a lot more emotions" since being cut off from hockey and dance practices.
"I want to know how other people are doing and what they’re doing, and to hear the wisdom and tricks and tips and coping strategies from those people – even if it doesn’t help for now, it’s important for the future," Barkman said in a statement provided by BC Children's Hospital.
