A second lockdown and reclosure of schools could be detrimental to children with a disability whose development depends on constant therapy, according to the Commissioner for the Rights of People with Disability.
As the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to rise, Oliver Scicluna is urging against reverting to the same kind of lockdown imposed by the authorities bet-ween March and June to curb the spread of the pandemic.
“I have seen so much suffering that I fear people will be more harmed – or even killed – by the stress and repercussions of a second lockdown than by the pandemic itself,” he said.
Virus contingency measures saw the halting of speech, occupational and physiotherapy for children in March, later offered to some through online means.
Except for occupational therapy, the services started being provided again in clinics in June.
“Therapy should be continuous as it supports children in acquiring new skills and coping mechanisms. As commissioner I have always stressed that such therapy should be given in person as only this way can children make eye contact, engage and bond with the therapist.
“Throughout the lockdown we have seen the development of several children regress... as a result, the challenging behaviour of some has intensified.”
Scicluna believes that even in the case of a second lockdown, therapy should continue to be provided in person in a safe space, such as in clinics, even if it requires the use of personal protective equipment.
I fear people will be more harmed by the stress and repercussions of a second lockdown than by the pandemic itself
Asked how this would fit in with social distancing, Scicluna said that when it comes to COVID-19 precautions, Malta seems to adopt a two weights and two measures approach.
“We restrict restaurants and shops but allow mass events.
“We adopt contingency means at the place of work but employees are free to roam crowded places during the weekend… I fear that the pandemic is being used by some to avoid certain responsibilities,” he said.
“We need to strike a balance.”
One such example, he said, was the absence of online support from some Learning Support Educators compared to the huge effort made by others who went out of their way to ensure students did not miss out on anything.
“The lack of support from some LSEs increased the stress on parents and siblings of children with a disability,” he said.
“I spent most of my time during lockdown speaking to exhausted parents or carers. Towards the end of the lockdown the stress had a toll on my own mental well-being.”
For most children with a disability, schools are not just a place where they develop academically, but also socially, he said.
Scicluna suggested that for those who are vulnerable to the virus, the government could offer to cover the parents’ salary while they take time off work to homeschool their children.
The commission has so far not been consulted about the reopening of schools in September as announced by the government, and parents of children with a disability have started expressing concern.
Those who spoke to this newspaper explained that as a result of the suspended services during lockdown, their children struggled to go back to the “normality they had before” once measures were lifted.
“All the hard work that children and their parents had put in during the previous months and years was just thrown away,” one parent said.
“Now, with the number of infections rising, we must explain to our children that we have to restrict our lives again.
“This is having a huge impact on the whole family, including other siblings”.