The first meeting of the new Essex Education Task Force took place recently, marking the start of ambitious plans to address the short- and long-term impact of Covid-19 on children and young people’s education and emotional wellbeing.
The Task Force, which is independently chaired by Roy Blatchford CBE, was first announced at Essex County Council’s (ECC) Full Council meeting in February. It will initially be supported by a £1.5million investment from the county council’s reserves, of which £500,000 will be allocated specifically for children’s mental health.