Scottish COVID-19 inquiry|28Feb 2025

Sarah-Jane Crews. Partners in Advocacy on mask harms and lockdown rights concerns.

Introduction

Sarah-Jane Crews has been a manager with Partners in Advocacy since March 2019 which is one of the oldest established independent advocacy organisations in Scotland. It provides independent advocacy for individuals living with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorders, physical disabilities and people over 65.

‘Protecting the vulnerable.’

‘‘Lip reading was hindered by masks and made face-to-face communication difficult.’’

-Paragraph 45 of statement

‘‘We found that schools closing had an ongoing impact on our young people.’’

-Paragraph 52 of statement

‘‘Masks were highlighted by many as causing anxiety. Many young people responded that social distancing with friends had been tough. Many young people expressed feeling restricted, having less freedom, and being upset at not being able to see friends face to face.

-Paragraph 90 of statement

‘‘The impact of the pandemic is still prevalent in young people. General anxiety has increased and there are still young people not able to access school or be in big crowds.’’

-Paragraph 99 of statement

Testimony highlights

Masks were mandated and other ‘‘safety requirements’’ for vulnerable children with autism and physical disabilities when face to face meetings were allowed. The most marginalised groups also lost advocacy rights during lockdown.

‘‘It made it hard for young people who have additional support needs who want to see the whole face or who lip read or who just want to see that friendly face.’’

‘‘It became clear very quickly that vulnerable, potentially marginalised individuals requiring independent advocacy, were adversely and disproportionately impacted by lockdown and its associated processes. Their ability to benefit from our services was lessened and their rights to independent advocacy was greatly impacted.’’

-Paragraph 155 of statement

Statement highlights

‘‘We had a tiny waitlist before the pandemic and the demand grew massively from 107 young people supported in 2019…to 157/151 in the past two years with 60 not included in that figure that are on our waitlist.’’

-Paragraph 43

‘‘Many felt that the restrictions imposed have made it hard to enjoy and engage as they did before due to social distancing. Some young people were not able to go outside much due to shielding either for themselves or their parents/carers. They missed doing activities like the cinema, swimming and going to the skate park. Many struggled with boredom.’’

-Paragraph 88

‘‘Most young people responded that they understood why the regulations were in place and expressed that they were happy to comply with them although face masks could cause anxiety.’’

-Paragraph 89

‘‘Young people with additional support needs saw a decrease in support and struggled to access mental health services.’’

-Paragraph 97

‘‘Even when restrictions were lifted some of our partners, like hospitals, questioned our visits and whether they were necessary.’’

-Paragraph 114

‘‘There were engagement issues with individuals with learning disabilities and mental health concerns as they had high support needs. It was extremely important for these children and young people to be able to see your facial expressions/nonverbal communication, and the use of masks impacted their experiences with professionals and ability to build trusting relationships.’’

-Paragraph 120

‘‘Our advocates were not able to meet young people in psychiatric inpatient settings due to COVID-19 restrictions.’’

-Paragraph 125

‘‘Many children and young people felt isolated and disconnected, making it harder for them to engage fully and voice their views and feelings.’’

-Paragraph 140

‘‘I am not sure the Scottish Government, or any of us, were prepared for the huge impact COVID-19 had on the mental wellbeing and health of children and young people. For some, it has had a lasting impact on their ability to engage with education.’’

-Paragraph 153

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