City hosts BICYCLE study launch

By Verónica Muñoz Martínez, Press Office Gradvantage Intern

It has been four years since the Covid pandemic forced people in Britain and worldwide to stay at home. Many families had children during this period and these babies experienced pandemic-induced restrictions during the first 14 months of their lives, a critical time for their development. This is why researchers at City, University of London are investigating how this might have affected children born in lockdown, and what support they might need as they start formal schooling in September.

In early July, City hosted an event for the Born in Covid Year - Core Lockdown Effects (BICYCLE) study, a research project examining the development of talking and thinking skills of babies born during Covid lockdowns, relative to babies born outside the lockdown period. Education and language experts, researchers and families discussed findings and shared experiences.

Lucy Henry, Professor of Speech and Language at City, University of London, who is one of the project leaders, said:

The research findings will help shape strategies for supporting those children that need extra help, and provide insights into the pandemic's long-term effects on early child development.

To measure the talking and thinking skills of babies born in lockdown, the BICYCLE team is:

• Assessing children’s understanding and use of words and sentences by playing games and telling stories
• Evaluating the higher-level thinking skills necessary for classroom engagement.
• Asking caregivers how many words their children use, and how their children manage tasks in every day life, via a questionnaire.
• Interviewing families about their lived experiences and the early development of their child.

The project has already recruited 100 families from across England with children who were born in lockdown, and the researchers are aiming for 200. They will also recruit 200 families with children born after lockdown to understand any differences.

Ellie, a mother of two shared her experiences at the event. Her first child was born during lockdown. Recalling her time negotiating the challenges of motherhood with no support, she said:

Ellie highlighted the difference in socialisation between her two children. Her first child had much less face to face interaction up to around 14 months old:

Susan Mumby, an experienced early years teacher and headteacher at a primary school in Leeds, has observed the effects of being born in lockdown firsthand. "We are seeing higher levels of anxiety in children and increased referrals for support," she said. This has been difficult, as ‘’the waiting list for a referral within the cluster is about six months,’’ she continued saying. According to Ms Mumby, lockdown babies who are currently attending nursery need more help to self-soothe and are less independent. Attendance rates have also dropped significantly in her school, falling from 97% pre-Covid to around 92% more recently, in line with the national picture.

The event concluded with Dr Amit Kulkarni, the Director of Research and Outcomes from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, who emphasised the importance of language input and socialising in the early years, and expressed gratitude to the BICYCLE team:

Find out more

BICYCLE Study (bornincovidyear.co.uk)