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Coronavirus: NI Children's Commissioner - ‘We must remember rural children’

Girl looks out at Slieve Gullion in Northern IrelandImage source, Getty Images

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, so does its affect on people's lives.

Now Northern Ireland's Commissioner for Children and Young People has made a statement urging the Northern Ireland Assembly not to forget to look after its most vulnerable children.

Koulla Yiasouma has asked that the government work together with other services to make sure every child has what they need.

What does a Children's Commissioner do?

The Commissioner for Children and Young People is in charge of making sure Northern Ireland's children and young people are looked after by the government.

In a statement, Ms Yiasouma focused on the added challenges faced by children who live in rural places - areas of countryside which are outside of towns and cities.

She said that while all children have had to deal with uncertainty during the pandemic, children in more rural areas have other factors making an already hard situation even trickier.

Lack of strong wifi for learning from home and taking part in online classes is a particular problem.

She also says that restricted public transport can leave young people feeling more isolated from the wider community too.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Northern Ireland's Children's Commissioner doesn't want kids who live in rural areas to be forgotten

The commissioner added that rural poverty in Northern Ireland is often hidden and that the pandemic has made accessing help harder.

She said: "There must be a collective effort and determination by government, relevant authorities and agencies to address these issues so that all children have the best start in life and that children living in rural areas are no longer hidden or forgotten."