Covid lockdowns set back children’s development for years – new research
A major new study, led by the University of East Anglia in collaboration with Lancaster University and Durham University. has revealed that the pandemic significantly disrupted the development of children’s executive function skills.
Children who started school during the Covid-19 pandemic may be experiencing lasting setbacks in their ability to self-regulate and adapt to new situations. These skills form the foundation for self-regulation, focus, flexible thinking and problem solving. They play a crucial role in helping young children manage their behaviour, follow routines and thrive in busy classroom environments.
The study found the greatest impact fell on children who were in reception when the first national lockdowns began in 2020. These early schooling years are a stage when children typically learn to socialise, build friendships, and adjust to school structures. These children showed much slower growth in self regulation and cognitive flexibility over time, compared to peers who were in preschool when the pandemic struck. Many may still be experiencing the effects.
The research team had a unique opportunity: they were already following a group of 139 children, aged between two and a half and six and a half, as part of a long-term study into early development. Crucially, 94 families had joined the study before the pandemic, giving researchers a rare baseline of children’s abilities. This allowed the team to track precisely how development changed during and after lockdowns.
Researchers found children who were in reception when Covid lockdowns began, showed markedly slower development in key self-regulation skills. They found it more difficult to switch between tasks and control impulses - abilities that typically improve rapidly in the first year of school. Disrupted routines, limited social interaction, and fewer opportunities to learn classroom norms meant these children missed crucial early experiences that support confidence and cognitive growth. Higher rates of Covid illness among this group may also have compounded the challenges they faced.
The study also found that early strengths in executive function tended to persist: children who showed strong skills at two-and-a-half continued to perform well later on. Even when age and family background were taken into account, children who were in reception when the pandemic began made more modest progress than their preschool counterparts. This highlights the vital role of peer socialisation and the self regulatory skills typically developed during the reception year.
The study highlights a generation of children who may require additional support from teachers, schools, and health services in the coming years. It also prompts important questions about how best to protect children’s development during any future national emergencies.
The research, Tracking the trajectory of executive function from 2.5 to 6.5 years of age and the impact of COVID19, is published in the journal Child Development. The project was led by the University of East Anglia in collaboration with Lancaster University and Durham University.
