The Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) has been hosting a webinar series on young children amidst COVID-19. The second in the series was held on April 23, 2020 at 15:00 (Singapore time) GMT+8. The theme was “Caring for the caregivers: practical experiences and resources for parents and caregivers of young children”.
The webinar focussed on the need to support parents and caregivers as they face multiple challenges resulting from COVID-19 containment measures enforced by governments to halt the spread of corona virus. As schools, pre-schools and ECD centers close, the responsibility for positive childcare is solely left to parents and caregivers with little to no human interaction with neighbours and communities and with constrained support from the government and the private sector.
The key question to be answered is: how should parents and caregivers care for the young children and for themselves during prolonged periods of home quarantine as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among the most disadvantaged families in the Asia-Pacific region?
The speakers and presenters were:
Dr. Pablo Stansbery, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office
Dr. Jamie M. Lachman, University of Oxford and University of Glasgow
Dr. Rumaya Binti Juhari, Universiti Putra Malaysia
Ms. Fitriana Herarti, ChildFund International Indonesia
Ms. Aparajita Chaudhary, UNICEF India
The webinar was moderated by Prof.Margaret Sims, Steering Committee member, ARNEC.
You’ll find links to a recording of the webinar and related materials here.
