Children and families around the world are experiencing unprecedented disruption to their lives. As nations around the world scramble to understand, contain, and respond to the rapidly growing pandemic and as parents and caregivers juggle multiple challenges to care for and safeguard their children, the global early childhood development (ECD) community is coordinating together rapidly to ensure that children’s health, development, and well-being are not overlooked.
The ECD Action Network (ECDAN) is working with partners and regional networks to collect and disseminate global COVID-19 related ECD resources, organize webinars, and coordinate the global ECD community’s responses to the COVID-19 emergency.
Webinar series, part I
The first webinar in these series will bring together key global agencies including WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, ARNEC and other partners and will:
- Provide a briefing on resources and actions being mobilized by each agency in response to COVID-19
- Identify key supports being given to government systems to mobilize services for caregivers and their children, including workplace policy responses, childcare, parental mental health supports, and other key services.
- Provide key messages and best practices for parents and caregivers to ensure children’s health and well-being in disrupted social environments as a result of social-distancing measures and lockdowns with special consideration for children with disabilities and other developmental needs.
- Provide key messages and best practices for parents and caregivers to ensure that their own physical and mental health are taken care of given the potential stress and impact from employment loss, disrupted childcare and community support from social-isolation, and reduced or no access to essential services and resources.
- Q&A and panel discussion about the current needs and joint strategic actions by the global ECD community