Britain's loneliness minister issued a warning that the country's toddlers face generational harm because Covid-19 restrictions are preventing them from playing with friends.
Baroness Diana Barran said young children are suffering because of the pandemic, which resulted in a series of local and national lockdowns in the past 10 months.
Nurseries in England remain open but current restrictions mean play centres are closed. Visits to other people's homes outside of support bubbles are banned.
"I do worry about the children," Ms Barran told The Telegraph.
She said she spoke to a young mother who gave birth last year after the initial outbreak.
"And her young child had not played face-to-face with another child throughout the whole year for she had to be shielding. You've got a nearly one-year-old who has never played with another child," she said.
Ms Barran, 61, became the UK's loneliness minister in 2019 – a role created a year earlier to tackle soaring levels of isolation among Britain's ageing population.
However, young people have become an area of concern because lockdown has cut them off from others.
"It definitely is an issue for young people, in part perhaps because as you get older you become more able to cope with it," Ms Barran said.
She urged people to speak to neighbours, friends or family members who are alone to help alleviate the problem.
"Pick up the phone or write a card or a letter or send an email. Any one of those things will make a difference to somebody that day," she said.
The warning comes as the opposition Labour Party accused Education Secretary Gavin Williamson of allowing pupils to go hungry and letting parents down "time and time again".
There was public outcry last week when images were shared online that showed boxes for children containing only £5 ($7) worth of food intended to last a week.
The government is also facing criticism over guidance published on the Department for Education website that said schools did not need to provide food parcels or vouchers over the February half-term break.
Instead, it said families eligible for free school meals would be supported through the Covid Winter Grant Scheme run by local councils.
In Monday’s debate, Labour will urge MPs to vote to guarantee that children will receive the full value of free school meals.
"Gavin Williamson has created a catalogue of chaos on free school meals," shadow education secretary Kate Green said.
“Time and time again, he has let down the parents desperately trying to put food on the table and the children who have gone hungry through his incompetence.
“He must guarantee that children will get free school meals over the February half-term and put trust in parents by giving them the money for free school meals to ensure their children do not go hungry.
“Conservative MPs will have the opportunity to vote with Labour today to finally give families the support they need to get through this crisis.”
A government spokesman said: "As was the case over Christmas, vulnerable families will continue to receive meals and help with other essentials such as energy and bills over February half-term via councils through the £170 million Covid Winter Grant Scheme launched last year.
“Our guidance is clear: schools provide free school meals for eligible pupils during term time while children are learning. Beyond that, there is wider government support in place to support families and children via the billions of pounds in welfare support we’ve made available.”
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National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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