Coronavirus lockdown may have led to increased child suicides, new report warns

A “concerning signal” that child suicides may have increased during the coronavirus lockdown has prompted a warning to doctors and health services to be vigilant. A national report for NHS England found there had been 25 likely suicides of children during the first 56 days of lockdown in March and April, compared with 26 child suicides in 82 days pre-lockdown. The findings by the National Child Mortality Database are not conclusive due to the small numbers involved but the report said data on the deaths that occurred showed among the lockdown suicides that the closure of schools, disruption to care services as well as tensions at home and isolation appeared to be factors.