Look after pupils
The sight, and sound, of students returning to classrooms is the first sign that our long winter lockdown is coming to an end. While young people are the least likely to fall sick from Covid, they have not been spared the appalling impact of the virus on our mental health.
As we report today, many London headteachers are focusing on improving the wellbeing of their pupils as they return to school this week, rather than a purely academic catch-up. This is a sensible, caring approach.
Our Young London SOS campaign has highlighted the enormous toll the pandemic has had on our children’s mental health. Half a million young people who had no mental health problems prior to the pandemic now need support. Headteachers say it is “the worst it has been and getting worse”.
After a year of isolation and strife, our students do not just need intensive maths classes, they deserve joy and the chance to rebuild friendships.
We should all be safe
All Londoners, women and men, should be able to walk the streets of our city, day or night, in safety.
The disappearance of Sarah Everard is a terrible reminder that, for women in particular, such a guarantee remains elusive. Her case taps into the nightmare of every woman and the people who love and care for them.
Just this week, the World Health Organisation revealed that, across their lifetime, one in three women are subjected to physical or sexual violence.
Violence against women and girls is pervasive across countries and societies, including our own. We must not turn our backs on the policies required to end it.
