During the time of COVID-19 in order to protect the lives of families and ECI personnel, interpersonal activities through home visits and group sessions have largely ceased. Yet the needs of children with developmental delays and disabilities and their families have increased due to isolation, loss of employment, and dire survival and health needs. Given these challenges, ECI programmes are developing innovative services with the goal of finding new and effective ways to serve families and children.
Yet some ECI programmes are concerned about having Tele-ECI sessions accepted as official services in place of in-person home visits and other services. Several are worried about the possibility that governments might divert ECI programme budgets and other resources to other national priorities.
Above all, ECI programme personnel have had few opportunities to exchange ideas, share their innovations, and secure the resources they need to implement them fully.
To begin to bring the global ECI community together to identify our challenges, problem-solve and share ideas, RISE Institute, Portland State University and the ECD Task Force on Children with Disabilities are holding three exploratory webinars on:
- Impact of COVID-19 on ECI Services
- Impact of COVID-19 on National ECI Systems
- International and Regional Responses to ECI Service Innovations