Chesterfield grandparent: Impact of lockdown on my autistic grandson has been 'heart breaking'
A public enquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic's going ahead this morning
It's thought the long-term impact of lockdown on some young people across South Yorkshire & North Derbyshire has been 'heart breaking'.
A public enquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic's taking place today - with the former Children's Commissioner for England - Anne Longfield - set to give evidence.
Rose Wonfor is a grandparent who lives in Chesterfield.
She says her 12-year-old autistic grandson struggles terribly with busy, social situations today because of how long people had to stay indoors for during the pandemic:
"Because my grandson wasn't going to school, he was getting a bit flustered.
"There was no backup, there was nobody for his mother to talk to basically, to try and get help in any way.
"We couldn't see him, so we couldn't help out.
"It was just rubbish.
"He didn't understand that he couldn't see his friends or go out anywhere.
"We were video calling him, trying to make him smile, but it was heart breaking.
"He doesn't like to socialise at the best of times, but now, in busy situations, he struggles even more than he did before lockdown."
The UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry is due to get underway from 10am.