Children’s experience of the first lockdown in France

During the first COVID-19 lockdown in France in the spring of 2020, schools were closed and all activities outside the home were suspended. Primary school children who found themselves confined to their homes adapted quite well to the change. They continued with their schoolwork and took advantage of their freedom to spend more time on daily activities. But for parents with low socio-economic status, the lockdown placed strain on family relationships, increased the children’s screen time, disrupted their sleep and their psychological well-being, and made schoolwork more problematic. For children and adults alike, the lockdown produced an increase in inequalities likely to worsen over the medium term.

Press releases [FR]

  • [Le Monde] Pendant le confinement, « la surexposition aux écrans a été plus forte chez les enfants vivant dans un appartement que ceux qui habitent dans une maison avec un jardin » - 27/01/21 [Lien]
  • [La Croix] Selon une étude, le premier confinement a accru les inégalités chez les enfants - 23/01/21 [Lien]
  • [Libération] Ecole, sommeil, écrans : comment les enfants ont vécu le premier confinement  - 21/01/21 [Lien]
  • [La dépêche.fr] Enfants et confinement : une bonne adaptation, malgré des troubles du sommeil et de l'anxiété - 21/01/21 [Lien]
  • [20 minutes] Soucis scolaires, trop d’écrans, troubles du sommeil… Les enfants des milieux défavorisés ont davantage souffert lors du confinement - 21/01/21 [Lien]

More information

X. Thierry, B. Geay, A. Pailhé, N. Berthomier, J. Camus, N. Cauchi-Duval, J-L. Lanoë, S. Octobre, J. Pagis, L. Panico, T. Siméon, A. Solaz et l’équipe SAPRIS
Population and Societies n° 585, January 2021 [Link]