UK government owes children apology for damaging Covid errors, inquiry hears

The former children's commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, has called for the UK government to apologize to children for the damaging mistakes and policy errors made during the COVID-19 pandemic. Longfield testified before the COVID-19 inquiry, stating that the government's "doom loop" of fatalism led to a failure to do more to support children. Longfield argued that the prolonged lockdowns and school closures were responsible for a significant increase in mental health, welfare, and behavioral difficulties among children and young people. She emphasized that the government's actions during the pandemic have had a profound and lasting impact on the well-being of the country's youth. The testimony highlights the need for the government to acknowledge and take responsibility for the negative consequences their pandemic policies had on children, and to provide a formal apology for the damaging errors that were made.