The relationship between living with siblings, attending childcare and pre-schoolers mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic

UK Covid-19 pandemic restrictions were associated with increased mental ill-health among school-aged children. The current paper explored this phenomenon in UK pre-schoolers. A hierarchical regression predicting pre-schoolers’ mental health, based on presence of siblings and attending childcare during a national lockdown, found those living with siblings and attending childcare experienced better mental health than all other groups. This knowledge benefits the understanding of the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on pre-schoolers’ mental health and functioning.