Statement at Press Conference For Kids

Check against delivery.

Everything feels very strange at the moment. But we will get through this.

It’s important to remember that.

If there is anything you are wondering about at the moment, talk to an adult you trust.

And remember: you are allowed to be outside. But you should not meet up with as many friends as usual.  

You can play with one or two friends, if you need to, but remember that you should not get too close to each other.  

And you can read books, you can call your friends or maybe play games via FaceTime. And now that you can’t get your friends together for a birthday party, what about meeting up on Minecraft, for example, to celebrate your birthday? 

Now is the time to be creative.

It’s not such a good idea either to visit your grandparents at the moment.

But it could be a very good idea to give them a call. Maybe you can even persuade your grandpa or grandma to have a chat on FaceTime? Or you could write to them.   

I think they would appreciate that a lot.

Our country is in the midst of a crisis, and it is important now to show that we care about each other. And if you know of anyone who is lonely, spare an extra thought for them.  

Some of you may be worried about your parents’ jobs. As you have been hearing in the media, we are trying to do something about this and are now spending lots of money on trying to ensure that people have jobs to go to once this crisis is over.

My most important job as Minister of Children and Families is to do all I can to make sure that all children and young people are safe and well cared for.

Most children have a safe and good home, but we know that there are some children who are having a difficult time, and who are frightened.

If you are finding things difficult or if you are scared, you should tell an adult you trust or ring one of the emergency helplines.

And remember that you can always phone or send a message to your teacher or another member of staff at your school if you want to talk about something that is bothering you. Both teachers and school health service staff are still at work and want to hear from you if you’ve got things on your mind that you want to talk about.