Introduction
The following report introduces the subject of children’s rights and participation, as set out in Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Grounded in empirical evidence, the report draws on children’s first-hand accounts of the challenges and opportunities they experienced during the pandemic. It highlights children’s own views on their opportunities for participation during the pandemic and provides examples of how the Swedish public sector worked to strengthen children’s right to participation. Finally, we offer suggestions on how to strengthen the right to participation in future crises.
Children in Sweden during the pandemic
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Swedish government activated a series of measures to limit the spread of the virus. Decisions were made continuously at national, regional, and local levels. These included restrictions on social contact, the introduction of distance learning for many students, and the closure of facilities, activities, and services that were important to children both in municipalities and in civil society organisations.
In contrast to the practices observed in numerous other countries, which entailed the complete closure of educational institutions, Sweden endeavoured to maintain schools open by implementing adapted infection control measures. During periods of high transmission, upper secondary students were fully or partially moved to remote learning. However, primary and lower secondary schools remained operational, providing in-person education for children who exhibited no symptoms of illness. Sweden’s strategy was to avoid school closures and limit the use of distance learning since such measures were considered harmful to the health and well-being of children and adolescents (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2023).
Children's own experiences of the pandemic
Several reports have documented children’s own experiences of the pandemic. The report by Barnombudsmannen (2021, 2022), for example, states that children had a good understanding of the restrictions and ways to reduce infection, but their concerns were often overlooked by adults. For instance, children told UNICEF Sweden (2020) that they were worried about their families and that they had less time for leisure activities, while demonstrating responsibility and an understanding of the restrictions. Reports from the Public Health Agency of Sweden (2022, 2024) and Sveriges Elevkårer (Swedish student bodies) (2021, 2022) highlight issues such as loneliness, difficulties with schoolwork, and stress during distance learning. It can be concluded from the reports that, although Sweden did not shut down society in the same way as many other countries and kept primary and secondary schools open, the pandemic and the restrictions still affected children in many ways.
While the children’s stories in the reports may initially seem minor, the pandemic changed their everyday lives, affecting their safety, empowerment, and sense of the future. Many children took responsibility for preventing the spread of the virus and obeyed the restrictions; however, they also witnessed adults breaking them, which created mistrust. Children adjusted their behaviour, met fewer friends, and worried about their family’s health and finances. Extracurricular activities disappeared, and schoolwork became more challenging as motivation waned. Everyday life changed.
– Jag spelar handboll. Det är en mycket fysisk sport så alla matcher är inställda och cuper. Våra träningar är lite annorlunda nu.
Pojke, årskurs 6 (UNICEF Sverige, 2020).
– I play handball. It’s a very physical sport, so all our matches have been cancelled, and our cups have been postponed. Our training sessions are a bit different now.
Boy, grade 6 (UNICEF Sverige, 2020).
– Jag gick på trummor. Nu har vi trummor på distans, vilket är ganska komplicerat eftersom jag inte har något trumset.
Flicka, årskurs 9 (UNICEF Sverige, 2020).
– I used to play the drums. Now, with remote drumming, it’s quite complicated because I don’t have a drum kit.
Girl, grade 9 (UNICEF Sverige, 2020)
The pandemic made many children realise how important social relationships and security are. Many said that they had felt lonely and missed their family and friends.
– Jag känner mig ensam och saknar mina vänner.
Tonåring (UNICEF Sverige, 2020).
– I feel lonely, and I miss my friends.
Teenager, (UNICEF Sverige, 2020).
Children were also concerned for their parents and other relatives. They were concerned about them falling ill and losing their jobs.
– Det är inte lätt, jag fattar det, men alltså, vad ska jag göra liksom? Det är inte som att jag har ett eget rum och kan hålla avstånd och inte träffa folk hemma. Mormor är i sån här riskgrupp, och några andra i familjen också, jag har typ ångest, alltså på riktigt att jag ska döda dom för det är så mycket smitta i skolan. Men sen, alltså, det är ett helt år. Jag har inte varit seriös med det här hela tiden, det har varit lite mer som att ibland orkar jag vara seriös men, alltså, eh, nu skäms jag lite, men inte hela tiden.
Pojke i årskurs 9 (Barnombudsmannen, 2022).
– It’s not easy, I get it, but what am I supposed to do? It’s not like I have my own room where I can keep my distance and avoid seeing anyone at home. My grandmother and some other members of my family are in a high-risk group. I’m really anxious that I’m going to kill them because there’s so much infection at school. But then, it’s a whole year. I haven’t been taking this seriously the whole time; sometimes I can handle being serious, but, eh I’m a bit ashamed now, but not all the time.
Boy, grade 9 (Barnombudsmannen, 2022).
Children had mixed feelings about their parents working from home. Some thought it was nice to spend more time together, while others missed having time alone and enjoying some peace and quiet.
– Lite jobbigt, jag har mindre fritid nu för att de alltid säger till mig att göra något vettigt, t.ex. läxor.
Flicka, årskurs 6 (UNICEF Sverige, 2020).
– It’s a bit difficult. I have less leisure time now because they always tell me to do something useful, like homework.
Girl, grade 6 (UNICEF Sverige, 2020).
– Det är väldigt jobbigt hemma. Det har påverkat oss väldigt mycket. Det är mer bråk för flera mår dåligt, det är många saker, inte bara det med riskgrupp utan också att pappa inte kan resa i jobbet och då är han hemma. Alla är här hela tiden, och jag är livrädd att någon ska bli smittad, men pappa verkar typ inte rädd alls, eller ja, det är han väl men inte som jag.
Flicka, 11 år, med anhörig i riskgrupp (Barnombudsmannen, 2022).
– It’s really tough at home. It’s had a big impact on us. There are more arguments because several of us are feeling down, there are lots of things to consider, not just the risk group thing, but also that Dad can’t travel for work and is therefore at home. Everyone’s here pretty much all the time, and I’m worried that someone might get infected, but Dad doesn’t seem worried at all, or yes, I guess he is, but not like me.
Girl, 11, with a relative in a risk group (Barnombudsmannen, 2022).
The opportunities for children in the care of the state to seek assistance and support from adults varied considerably. Some children who were placed in state care felt it was easier to communicate with their designated social worker online. Other children found digital communication with their social worker to be impersonal and preferred face-to-face meetings.
– Det blir bara möten via Teams med socialtjänsten. Det är jätteviktiga möten för mig, men det blir inte lika seriöst när man har det via Teams.
Flicka, 16 år (Barnombudsmannen, 2022).
– All meetings with social services are now held on Teams. These meetings are very important to me, but they don’t feel as serious when they’re held on Teams.
Girl, 16 (Barnombudsmannen, 2022).
Children’s opportunities for participation during the pandemic
Several reports, whether on distance learning, lack of support for pupils with disabilities, or mental health issues, show that in many cases the child’s right to be heard was not realised during the pandemic (Barnombudsmannen, 2021; UNICEF Sverige, 2020; Sveriges Elevkårer 2021, 2022; Folkhälsomyndigheten, 2022, 2024). Several legislative proposals submitted to the Ombudsman for Children during the pandemic also lacked a child rights perspective, and children were not involved in the inquiry work. See, for example, Promemoria om särskilda begränsningar för att förhindra spridning av sjukdomen Covid-19 (by Barsnombudsmannen); Utkast till lagrådsremiss: Statlig ersättning för personskada orsakad av vaccin mot sjukdomen Covid-19 (by Barnombudsmannen); and Promemorian Ändringar i det tillfälliga förbudet mot att hålla allmänna sammankomster och offentliga tillställningar (by Barnombudsmannen). At the same time, many children wanted to contribute to society and be involved in the measures implemented to stop the infection. However, the formal opportunities for children and young people to be heard in local decision-making processes, for example, were limited (Barnombudsmannen, 2021, 2022). Children with whom the Ombudsman for Children spoke during the pandemic reported shortcomings in information, processes, feedback, and influence:
– Jag kan nästan tycka att ibland känns det som att en vuxen röst kan nästan vara hundra små barnröster. Ja, för att man lyssnar mer på de vuxna. (Barnombudsmannen, 2022).
– I almost think that sometimes it feels like one adult voice can almost be a hundred little child voices. Yes, because you listen more to the adults.
(Barnombudsmannen, 2022).
Children testified that they had no real opportunity to influence how decisions about distance learning or other restrictions were implemented in their school (Barnombudsmannen, 2021; Sveriges Elevkårer, 2020, 2021). Many children felt that they were neither consulted nor given the opportunity to express their views before decisions were made, even though the changes had a direct impact on their education and everyday life. This led to feelings of powerlessness and exclusion. In addition, children expressed frustration that the policies were sometimes perceived as inconsistent. They felt that some rules and restrictions were strictly enforced, while others were interpreted arbitrarily or not enforced at all. For example, the school might be very strict about rules on mobile phones or other issues of order, while infection control measures such as distancing or restrictions on large gatherings were not always taken seriously. This kind of inconsistency created a sense of unfairness and contributed to children questioning both school priorities and adult decisions:
– De [skolan] är ju mer seriösa när det gäller mobiler än när det gäller corona. Alltså man kan vara i en stor hög och snacka och de säger ingenting, men när det kommer till våra telefoner blir det kaos. (Barnombudsmannen, 2021).
– They [the school] are more serious when it comes to mobile phones than when it comes to corona. So you can be in a big pile and talk and they don’t say anything, but when it comes to our phones, it’s chaos.
(Barnombudsmannen, 2021).
– att om det säger att det ska vara en stol emellan två personer så följer vi elever, men igår såg jag fem vuxna sitta ihopklistrade. (UNICEF Sverige, 2020).
– if it says that there should be a chair between two people, we students follow it, but yesterday I saw five adults sitting glued together.
(UNICEF Sverige, 2020).
Children also reported that they often did not receive important information during the pandemic, that information came too late, or was not tailored to their needs. This made it difficult for them to understand and influence decisions that affected their lives (Barnombudsmannen, 2021). A key part of children’s right to participation is the right to information. To form opinions and participate in decisions that affect them, children need to understand what is happening and what options are available. Without relevant and tailored information, children’s influence risks being limited and their right to be heard weakened.
Proposals of the Ombudsman for Children to ensure children's right to participation in crises
Drawing on the experience of the pandemic, the Ombudsman for Children notes that children need better opportunities to participate and access information, and that vulnerable groups must be given particular attention in future. For children’s rights to be realised in future crises, long-term, sustainable structures for children’s participation are required. Adults cannot simply assume that they know what is best for children; we must actively listen to children, involve them in decision-making, and ensure they have a say in issues affecting their lives. To better protect children in future crises, it is crucial that they have access not only to appropriate information, but also real opportunities to influence decisions.