Survey shows majority of parents worried about school reopening due to coronavirus

Around half of adults are worried about their child going back to school or college after the summer holidays, figures suggest.

Concern

Some 48% of adults with dependent children said they were very or somewhat worried about their child returning to education settings, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Almost a quarter (23%) said they were somewhat unworried or not worried at all.

The main reasons for those worried was fear about their child catching coronavirus (58%), spreading coronavirus (31%), and concern about their mental health and wellbeing due to changes in the school or college setting (30%).

A quarter were worried about how prepared their school or college will be for keeping pupils safe. And 15% were worried about sending them back before the vaccine rollout has finished.

Our latest Opinions and Lifestyle Survey asked parents how they felt about children in their household returning to school https://t.co/uDWyvvMZ7a pic.twitter.com/UUQISWAu84

— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) September 10, 2021

The ONS analysed responses from 3,387 people, including 470 responses from adults with dependent children, between 25 August and 5 September.