News Corp Australia has launched Lockdown Kids: How to Break a Generation, a four-part docu-series and editorial special exploring the long-term impact of placing the nation’s children into isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Spearheaded by The Advertiser in Adelaide, the docu-series is rolling out nationally across News’ daily state masthead, including The Daily Telegraph (NSW), Herald Sun (VIC) and The Courier-Mail (QLD).
The first episode, released today, shines a light on the country’s Covid lockdown-induced youth mental health crisis, finding almost four in ten high school students are struggling with anxiety while suicide is the leading cause of death for young Australians.
The second episode released tomorrow, unearths that almost half a million Australian kids are skipping school regularly. There are also 80,000 children who have simply vanished from the education system, while 20 percent are dropping out before Year 12.
The week-long special series also explores other themes such as anxiety and anorexia, social media addiction and ‘posting and boasting’ youth crime.
“It is clear that five years on from the first lockdown too many Australian children are yet to recover from the effects of isolation and home schooling. It is vital we have a conversation about the welfare of Australian children and also weigh up whether shutting schools and locking kids up was the right policy response,” said The Advertiser editor Gemma Jones.
The series speaks to a wide range of parents, children, experts and politicians including Federal Health Minister Mark Butler to discuss the issues and solutions.
