“Children’s rights were violated”: NI Commissioner speaks as Covid Inquiry Module 8 opens today

Chris Quinn, Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry has today (Monday, 29 September 2025) opened its eighth module, examining the impact of the pandemic on children and young people across the United Kingdom.

The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) will make opening submissions at the hearings this afternoon, highlighting the voices of children whose experiences were too often overlooked during the crisis.

The Inquiry commissioned Verian to undertake the Children and Young People’s Voices Research Project to capture the lived experiences of children and teenagers during Covid-19.

The findings will help the Inquiry understand how young people adapted to the rapid changes brought by lockdowns, school closures, and restrictions, as well as the long-term impact on their mental health, education, and trust in government.

Chris Quinn, Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, emphasised the importance of this work, stating:

“Today marks the opening of Module 8 of the UK Covid Inquiry, a module that examines the impact of the pandemic on children and young people in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

“NICCY has been granted Core Participant status for Module 8 by the Chair Baroness Hallett and will be playing an active role in the Inquiry’s hearings over the next four weeks. This afternoon, we will make our opening submissions and are highlighting the voice of the child.”

Quinn said children’s rights were repeatedly overlooked throughout the pandemic:

“Throughout the Covid period and beyond, we have repeatedly heard how children’s rights were violated.

“Young people have spoken about the lack of reliable information, how they were scapegoated, and at times feared for their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

“Young people have highlighted how lonely and isolated they felt, and the impact this has had on mental health, education, and, indeed, their trust in Government.

“Overwhelmingly, children and young people have told us how decisions have been made about them – impacting their lives, and their futures – and that their views were not sought, listened to or considered.”

NICCY will use its role in the Inquiry to ensure lessons are learned and that government decisions affecting children are informed by their voices in the future.

“It is our hope that the recommendations arising from this Module will ensure that the omissions of duty – where government failed to consider children’s rights during the crisis – do not happen again,” Quinn added.

The Commissioner also reaffirmed NICCY’s statutory duty to safeguard and promote children’s rights in Northern Ireland:

“The pandemic had and continues to have a devastating impact on the lives of children and young people, and it is crucial that lessons are learned. Governments and authorities need to ensure that young people’s rights are fully protected in law, and they need to ensure that a child-rights approach is taken to decision making.

“The mistakes made during Covid, and the disastrous long-term impacts of the pandemic, cannot be allowed to happen again.”

The Children and Young People Module 8 hearings began this morning at 10:30am and are being streamed live on YouTube.