COVID-19

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. COVID-19 has spread to every corner of the world, with national borders closed; travel bans; quarantines; physical distancing; health and education systems overwhelmed; childcare, preschools, and schools closed; and the global economy nearly at a standstill. Young children and families are experiencing unprecedented challenges and disruptions to their lives with children at great risk of not reaching their full potential.

Now, more than ever, parents and caregivers have a pivotal role to play in protecting their children from stress and promoting their development, health, and well-being.

Now, more than ever, communities, governments and organizations must work together to ensure parents and caregivers get the support they need for themselves and their children.

Now, more than ever, children need nurturing care.

East Asia and the Pacific: young children and the pandemic
This report summarizes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children younger than 5 years and looks at how UNICEF country offices found solutions to ensure continued attention to nurturing care.
– UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office

Rwanda: using radio to promote nurturing care during the pandemic
This implementation brief describes adaptations to the First Steps Intera za Mbere programme.
– USAID Momentum

Gindegi Goron: supporting young children’s development in Bangladesh
Learn how the International Rescue Committee supported nurturing care for ECD in Bangladesh during the pandemic.
– International Rescue Committee Understory Consulting

Impact of COVID-19 on responsive caregiving, opportunities for early learning and safety and security
Two briefs examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on three components of nurturing care: responsive caregiving, opportunities for early learning, and safety and security. A 4-page brief (available here) summarizes the findings of a rapid review of 112 scientific and scholarly article. A 9-page brief (here) describes the COVID-19 response strategies of 7 programmes worldwide.
– FHI360 and LEGO Foundation

Misalignment of global COVID-19 breastfeeding and newborn care guidelines with World Health Organization recommendations
This paper finds considerable inconsistency in guidance documents from 33 countries regarding breastfeeding and newborn care. None of the guidance documents reviewed recommended all aspects of WHO guidance. In this paper, health care providers from 62 countries share their experiences of caring for small and sick newborns during the COVID.-19 pandemic.
– Alive & Thrive Southeast Asia, FHI 360, Western Sydney University School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine

Innovators’ response to COVID-19: Lessons from four ECD programmes
This policy brief from Saving Brains explores how four programmes (aeioTU in Colombia, Mobile Creches in India, RTCCD in Vietnam and Ana Aqra in Lebanon) developed a unique response to COVID-19 that was creatively tailored to their community context, to their own capacities and circumstances, and to the content of their work.
– Saving Brains

Supporting children and caregivers in the context of COVID-19
Five practical steps health and social services can take to support babies, toddlers and the people who care for them during the Covid-19 pandemic, with examples from more than 20 countries.
– Bernard van Leer Foundation

Tshwaragano ka Bana – Working together for children
UNICEF South Africa, the Department of Social Development, the Department of Basic Education and the LEGO Foundation have developed easy to understand early learning activity sheets for parents and caregivers of children birth to 5 years.
– UNICEF South Africa

Re-orienting nurturing care for ECD during COVID-19 in Kenya
This review aims to deepen understanding of the effects of COVID-19 on nurturing care, looking at the case of young children in Kenya. It draws on evidence from previous pandemics and epidemics, and anecdotal and emerging evidence from the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, to propose strategies for the re-orientation of nurturing care.
– Shumba, C et al

COVID-19 in pre-existing humanitarian crises
– Moving Minds Alliance

Position statement: Five priority actions to protect, support and strengthen the early childhood workforce
– Early Childhood Workforce Initiative

ARNEC statement on COVID-19
– Asia-Pacific Network for Early Childhood

Time to re-think our societies and economies – Why we need to prioritise early childhood
– Eurochild, International Step by Step Association, Roma Education Fund and the European Public Health Alliance

21 leaders’ call for action to protect children from violence and abuse during COVID-19
– End Violence Against Children

A joint statement on early childhood development and COVID-19
– Early Childhood Development Action Network and partners

ANECD statement in response to COVID-19 crisis – Arabic version
– Arab Network for Early Childhood Development