Families of children who died from Covid are denied the right to question witnesses at inquiry
The families of children who died during the pandemic have spoken of “betrayal” after the Covid Inquiry denied them the opportunity to question witnesses.
Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, a group representing 7,000 bereaved families, has not been named as one of the “core participants” in the next stage of the inquiry.
Solicitor Nicola Brook, of Broudle Jackson Canter, is representing the group at the inquiry and said it was a mistake to exclude their “unique and invaluable perspective”.
“We represent many children who had to live with death during the pandemic, and parents who lost children and feel their dead child’s voice is being silenced by the inquiry’s exclusion of them,” she said.
“Those left behind have a unique and invaluable perspective and should be heard, not ignored.”
The group’s exclusion from core participant status means barristers representing them will not be able to interrogate witnesses called before the inquiry’s penultimate “module”, which will examine the impact of Covid and lockdown on children and young people.
Those witnesses will include Gavin Williamson, who was education secretary when the first coronavirus lockdown was imposed and is to be questioned about the impact of school closures on children.
Matt Fowler, a co-founder of the bereaved families group, said the denial of their application to be a core participant “just doesn’t make any sense”.
“Within our group we have young children with PTSD who freeze at the sight of an ambulance or who are scared to go near a hospital because they associate it with death,” he said.
“We have adults trying to raise traumatised and grief-stricken young children alone, while suppressing their own grief and PTSD, right through to professionals who work with children and young adults who report worrying signs of the impact of lockdowns on those they work with.
“One of the areas that module eight is supposed to cover is the impact of the pandemic on children and young people’s physical and mental health, wellbeing, development and family lives.
“Ignoring the bereaved is a betrayal of trust. It just doesn’t make any sense.”
Schools were closed to most children during the pandemic because of fears they would accelerate the spread of Covid.
Sarah Toni, a 61-year-old member of the group, lost her husband Nick, 61, during the pandemic and said her two children, aged 13 and 16, felt “betrayed” by the decision.
“There has been no closure for my children and I believe this will impact their lives forever,” she said.
“My children are also incredibly angry. They are now 13 and 16 and don’t trust anything the government says when they watch the news and now, they feel they have been betrayed by Baroness Hallett not wanting to hear their experience.”
A preliminary hearing held on Friday confirmed that the 25 core participants in the module will include Save the Children UK, the Centre for Young Lives and the Child Poverty Action Group.
Impact of school closures and lockdowns
Clair Dobson KC, lead counsel to the inquiry, said the module will examine the impact of school closures and lockdowns on children and the extent of planning for the delivery of remote education.
The module will also consider the impact of the pandemic on children at risk, children whose families receive support from social services, young carers, those in care and care leavers, as well as those in youth custody and those in the immigration system.
A further preliminary hearing is scheduled for next summer and full hearings are expected to begin at the end of Sept 2025.