Keep distance and hear me out! Swedish-speaking children’s pandemic narratives informing rights-based approaches to future crises

Background The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted children’s lives globally, yet limited research centres their voices in evaluating crisis responses. Sweden’s unique strategy, emphasizing voluntary guidelines rather than strict lockdowns, provides a critical context to explore how the pandemic policies reshaped children’s daily lives and affected systemic inequities between them; and to highlight children’s perspectives on how societal actors could better uphold children’s rights in future crises. Methods This qualitative study engaged 44 Swedish-speaking children (aged 10–17) from diverse neighborhoods in Umeå, Sweden, through ten focus group discussions conducted between February 2023 and January 2024. Child-friendly adaptations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) articles guided discussions on pandemic experiences. Data included transcripts, participant drawings, and field notes, analysed via reflexive thematic analysis. Results The findings consolidate into four central themes. First, “Keep distance! COVID forming a new way of life” captures how Sweden’s voluntary measures reshaped daily norms, while prolonged isolation from quarantines, canceled activities, and restricted social interactions deepened confinement. Second, “Erosion of well-being and need for information and support” highlights the decline in physical health and mental well-being, compounded by inadequate mental health resources and schools’ dual role as social refuges and infection risks. Third, “Paradox of ‘Normalcy’: halted education and systemic inequities” reveals how Sweden’s open-school strategy masked halted learning, digital divides, and housing disparities shaping quarantine experiences. Finally, “Hear me out! Engaging children in decision-making” underscores children’s critiques of exclusion from policymaking, despite their resilience and proposals for participatory solutions. Conclusion This study emphasizes the need to incorporate children’s voices in policymaking, particularly during crises, to ensure their rights and well-being are upheld. It calls for a shift in crisis response beyond just physical safety to include mental and emotional health, highlighting the importance of school-based mental health services and tailored support for marginalized groups in Sweden. To truly implement UNCRC Article 12, the country should establish formal systems that actively engage children and consider their feedback in decision-making processes.