To think COVID is not the issue here?

[ChrisPackhamsYellowFleece]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/05/children-school-early-years-education-pandemic-covid

Apparently babies born in 2020 and 2021 are more likely than previous cohorts to be behind developmentally. But nurseries reopened in June 2020 and social distancing ended altogether in spring 2021. Absent SEN (which I appreciate might be undiagnosed at that age) isn't this more likely to be a parenting/ poverty issue rather than anything to do with lockdown?

Have you read the article? Poverty, inability to access childcare due to cost are the reasons listed there. The pandemic was just briefly mentioned.

I suppose I find it odd that lack of access to childcare is cited as a developmental barrier. Wouldn't adequately- parented children be equally likely to develop these skills at home?

Depends largely on the home.

Stay at home parent by choice in a stable home environment with access to various resources and facilities such as playgroups, libraries, etc is more likely to have a better time of it than a parent under stress from unemployment/redundancy, money worries, illness, domestic abuse, poverty, insecure or inadequate housing, etc.

No. Parents will use the same words. They'll have the same house set up. It's better when kids can mix and learn from other people.

The pandemic was just briefly mentioned

So why is the strapline "Pandemic babies are arriving at school still wearing nappies" ?

Especially as this isn't a new issue - look at this article from 2014

Children Over Five 'Wearing Nappies In Class' | UK News | Sky News

Social isolation, social distancing, masks etc during the crucial early years of brain development and social development and add to that poverty, ill health, mental ill health. Job loss and all the other impacts being experienced by parents.

Lacks of access to GP, HV and dental appointments. Closure of many baby and toddler groups and social spaces like soft plays.

Now the cost of living crisis on top of all that.

There are many deep and complex issues going on here that we will be dealing with for many decades.

And of course in utero effects of maternal covid on foetal development - placental function can be compromised, and there is a growing body of (peer-reviewed) evidence of neurological effects and developmental delay

I'm not persuaded that mask mandates for public places would be shown to make that much difference - otherwise it would already be a known phenomenon in countries where women wear hijab at all times outside the home.

Also if it was reduced interaction because of lockdown rules, I think it would be a more clearly delineated age cohort. Yes, of course input is important, but it's not in a "use it or lose it" narrow window.

I has my son in June 2020. It was fine for us as I was on maternity leave for the first few months, when you generally stay a bit closer to home. We walked each day and i am fortunate to live in the countryside. I think it must have been extremely difficult to have a toddler in the lockdowns, though.