This project was organised in four study areas that examined the impact of Covid-19 suppression measures on specific marginalised groups.
The findings are organised by cross-cutting issue below, or you can view by study area: Criminal justice; Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence; Refugee and Asylum, and Disability and Health conditions.
Project report
The final project report is available from the link below.
Community Consultation Training
Researchers Molly Gilmour and Amanda Ptolomey developed a training kit for community organisations seeking to run their own focus groups. It was delivered to one of our project partners and now provides a free resource to other groups.
Food security
Some people have faced barriers in accessing food, including food appropriate for medical or cultural needs.
Hunger, health, dependence and autonomy: Food issues during lockdown
Molly Gilmour, Dominic Reed and Phillippa Wiseman explore the subject of food during lockdown. The availability of not just food, but the right kinds of food, had a huge impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of participants from all the research streams in the project.
Can you deliver? Food slots during lockdown
Paul Pearson considers the accessibility of supermaket delivery slots for people living with disabilities and long-term health conditions during lockdown.
Information and exclusion
Some people faced digital exclusion or other barriers accessing information.
‘Why have we been forgotten?’ What lockdown is like for prisoners’ families
This blog discusses the impacts of the lockdown on those who have spent it separated from a loved one in prison.
Inaccessible information: experiences of people with learning disabilities during Covid-19
We have made an Easy Read document about what life has been like for people with learning disabilities during Covid-19.
Living through Covid-19 with type 1 diabetes: Emerging findings
Chris Bunn shares emerging findings from interviews with people living with type 1 diabetes during the pandemic.
Mental health
Many people told us about experiences of depression and anxiety, and that access to services and support has become more difficult.
‘My mental health has gone’: Prisoner experiences of Covid-19 restrictions in Scotland during 2020
The Criminal Justice stream analyses 86 responses to a survey circulated across prisons in Scotland. Overall, imprisoned people reported worsening mental and physical health as a result of Covid restrictions during Spring and Summer 2020. These reduced time out of cell, contact with family and varied activities.
Things are ‘the same’: Complicating OK narratives of prisoners during lockdown
Sarah Armstrong analyses data from our prison survey, focusing on how we make sense of those who said that things were ‘the same’ as before lockdown.
Mental health in Scottish prisons under pressure during lockdown
Marguerite Schinkel explores the effects of lockdown on prisoners in Scotland.
Service provision
Service providers have faced a uniquely challenging time, reporting increased demand from client groups and funding uncertainty.
Experiences of sex workers during lockdown
Kristina Saunders shares insights into the challenges faced by sex workers during lockdown, highlighting that lives and livelihoods have been acutely impacted by Covid-19.
Capacities and demands in times of crisis: Impacts on service provision
This briefing draws upon our survey of staff experiences at 56 organisations providing services to marginalised groups in Scotland.
Change and Challenge: Personal impacts for staff supporting vulnerable groups
Sarah Armstrong considers how service providers have been affected by increased workload and other negative impacts on wellbeing.
A request for recognition: Early analysis of our survey of organisations (Part 4)
Molly Gilmour shares more early findings from our survey of organisations. This analysis found that people affected by Covid-19 have felt unheard by decision makers throughout the pandemic.
Supporting Survivors of Domestic Abuse: Early findings from the Third Sector
April Shaw reflects on how lockdown has affected survivors and the third sector practitioners supporting them.
Funding lifelines but growing uncertainty: Early analysis of our survey of organisations (Part 3)
Sarah Armstrong shares findings from our survey of organisations. Funding in the third sector, already typified by instability and short lifecycles, has become even more unstable during the pandemic.
Less, more, gone and new: Early analysis of our survey of organisations (Part 2)
Ryan Casey shares more early findings from our survey of organisations. Service providers have faced a uniquely challenging time during lockdown, reporting increased demand from client groups for food parcels, equipment for digital inclusion, and social activities.
Positives of lockdown: Early analysis of our survey of organisations (Part 1)
Gareth Mulvey offers an early analysis of our study’s organisational survey examining some positive effects on services during lockdown.
Scotland in Lockdown 