Learning Together: COVID-19 & ECD Initiatives
Everyday, ECDAN receives messages from every corner of the world requesting information about how others are coping and ensuring that the needs of young children and their families are not overlooked during this pandemic.
ECDAN wants to facilitate learning across the network by collecting and curating examples from on the ground practices and initiatives implemented all over the world in response to COVID-19 with a focus on early childhood development (ECD).
Help us facilitate this learning across the network by sharing work you think could benefit others by completing the survey.
COVID-19 Resources
These resources were compiled by HiMama to help childcare centers, teachers and families make the most of these uncertain times to continue providing great care for children.
Child to Child COVID-19 Response Resources
As an urgent response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Child to Child network of technical experts and practitioners collaborated to produce a set of resources to support children and communities to navigate through this difficult time. There are 10 messages spanning information about COVID-19, prevention, stigma, feelings, child safety, learning – in all of which children can play an active role in their families, communities and with their peers.
Zero to Three: All the Feels – Helping Young Children Cope with the Return to Child Care
Babies and toddlers may struggle with returning to childcare settings. They may struggle with returning to child care settings—because it feels like a very big change to their daily routine. Tips from on how adults can help during the transition.
International Guidelines for Re-Opening Childcare Programs
Free program available in Arabic, which was held over 2 sessions. Part 1 took place on the 10th of July 2020, and Part 2 on the 17th of July 2020. Participants will learn about: preparing the environment, preparing staff, making plans, ratios, group sizes, isolation of sick children, health and safety guidelines, preparing meals, transportation, summer programs, and of course, supporting children with additional needs and strategies for protecting children and staff and preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Toolkit with messages on parenting, care and preventing violence against children.
Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center (US)
SPHERE: COVID-19 guidance based on humanitarian standards
The Sphere Handbook and the other Humanitarian Standards Partnership (HSP) initiatives offer guidance on the minimum response all crisis-affected people have the right to expect. They establish what needs to be in place for affected populations to survive and recover with dignity. In this page, you will be able to find Sphere and its partners’ guidance on the COVID-19 response in multiple languages (below), additional resources based on humanitarian standards, and information on upcoming learning events.
Landing page | Standards (child protection on page 10)
This section includes resources on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic as it relates to child protection and children's care.
LEGO Foundation: 5 essentials for high-quality learning during Covid-19
COVID-19 and Anemia (Micronutrient Forum presentation for June 25 webinar)
Even before COVID-19 the reductions in prevalence of anemia were not on track to meet the SDG2 target. Prevalence of anemia in women is correlated with GDP per capita while current projections predict a 10% of global GDP decline due to COVID.
WHO: Frequently asked questions: Breastfeeding and COVID-19
The FAQs aim to provide information to healthcare workers supporting mothers and families in maternity services and community settings, and communicate how the interim guidance should be implemented. Additionally, the FAQs provide information about the protective effects of breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact, and the harmful effects of inappropriate use of infant formula milk.
FAQ for health workers* | FAQ for general population
*Translations into Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish in process and will be available in early May.
COVID-19 and HIV digest
The digest compiles news, updates, knowledge and resources from the past week related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The digest aims to give a brief and curated overview of ‘what’s new this week’ within select and changing categories, and it provides links for further reading and exploration.
UNICEF and USAID Advancing Nutrition: Infant and Young Child Feeding Recommendations When COVID-19 is Suspected or Confirmed
Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) counseling in the context of COVID-19 remains a critical nutrition intervention for the protection and support of pregnant women, caregivers, and their young children. WHO and UNICEF advise caregivers and families with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 to continue the recommended IYCF practices with the necessary hygiene precautions. It is therefore vital to ensure that communities and families around the world adopt these recommendations to help prevent the spread of the virus and care for those who are infected.
WHO: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and Sexual and Reproductive Health
Maya Ragavan, MD, MPH, MS, FAAP, and Kimberly Randell, MD, MSc, FAAP, offer strategies that can support families during tense times and resources that can help when safety becomes a concern. (Spanish here.)
Mood-Boosting Tips for Families During the COVID-19 PandemicFeeling connected to the people and world around us is a key part of good mental health. Cancelled festivals, family reunions, and other gatherings this summer may make it challenging for families to keep spirits up. Kathi Kemper, MD, FAAP, some simple steps that may may help boost everyone's mood during the pandemic.
Syracuse University/Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion: How to Help Children Develop Emotional Resilience during Corona
Amal Alliance, Learning in Times of Crisis, Karanga, Qatar Foundation International, and Salzburg Global Seminar: Podcast - We Are In This Together
This podcast series addresses the needs of children during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing simple, but meaningful activities that reinforce emotional wellbeing. The podcasts give caregivers daily structure to enhance self-resilience and explore possibilities to support themselves and children of all age groups and learning stages. Activities and games are designed to require no materials, and touch on topics such as hygiene, empathy, tolerance, patience, and healthy expression.
Arigatou International: Faith in Action for Children: Our Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Resources and recommendations keep children safe and protected, and ensure their physical and spiritual well-being.
Economic Costs of Preprimary Program Reductions due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Losses in long-term incomes from preprimary program closures due to COVID-19 can be unprecedented. Acute effects are plausible for such disruptions early in life when the brain is rapidly developing and is more sensitive to environmental changes. This study is the first to simulate losses due to preprimary program closures because of the COVID-19 pandemic on the discounted values of future earnings when current preschool age children become adults for 140 countries.
Child Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic Through a Life Course Theory Lens
This article draws on the central tenets of life course theory—intertwined developmental trajectories, linked lives, and stratification systems (Elder, 1998)—to inform understanding of potential adverse effects of the COVID-
19 pandemic on children’s and adolescents’ adjustment and well-being, as well as mechanisms and processes that may buffer or exacerbate the pandemic’s negative impact.
Act Now: Reduce the Impact of COVID-19 on the Cost of Achieving SDG 4
The policy brief indicates that there is a US$148 billion annual financing gap in low- and lower-middle-income countries to achieve SDG 4 from now until 2030. Additional costs due to COVID-19 related school closures risk increasing this financing gap by up to one-third, or US$30 to US$45 billion. But investing now in remedial and re‑enrolment programmes could reduce this additional cost by as much as 75%.
What have we learnt? Findings from a survey of ministries of education on national responses to COVID-19
This new report was published by UNESCO (Headquarters and Institute for Statistics), UNICEF (Headquarters and Office of Research) and the World Bank shows that schoolchildren in low- and lower-middle-income countries have already lost nearly four months of schooling since the start of the pandemic, compared to an average of six weeks among high-income countries.
COVID-19: A reason to double down on investments in pre-primary education
This paper summarizes the recent UNICEF analysis on investing in early childhood education in developing countries. It provides a benefit-cost analysis of investments in pre-primary education in 109 developing low- and middle-income countries and territories, using data from 2008 to 2019.
Caring for Caregivers during the COVID-19 Crisis guide
This guide aims to provide evidence-based messages, practical guidance, case studies and resources that can be used to promote parents/caregiver’s mental health during the COVID-19 crisis, with a special focus on adolescent caregivers. It is based on the Caring for the Caregiver prototype package, and was jointly developed by UNICEF, in collaboration with the University of Witwatersrand and Harvard.
International Finance Corporation (IFC): Childcare in the COVID-19 Era: A Guide for Employers
This guidance note outlines ways in which employers can support the care and family needs of their employees during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and fulfill their obligations under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This document is a companion to IFC’s Global Guide for Employer-Supported Childcare.
April 8, 2020
ECDAN and EVAC: COVID-19 and Child Protection (recording)
The Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children (EVAC) and ECDAN are partnering together to present a webinar focused on key issues on child protection in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This webinar will provide an overview of the issue, with lessons learned from past emergency contexts, current data on the prevalence of violence against children, presentation of guides and strategies to promote the protection of children and country presentations on strategies being currently implemented.
Access recording: high bandwidth | low bandwidth (audio only)
PowerPoint presentations: Alliance for Child Protection | COVID-19 Parenting | Philippines | WHO | UNICEF/Montenegro
March 26, 2020
ECDAN: COVID-19 & ECD (recording)
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. The first webinar in these series will bring together key global agencies including WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, ARNEC and other partners.
Access recording: high bandwidth | low bandwidth (audio only)
PowerPoint presentations: WHO | UNICEF | Lego Foundation
Beyond Borders in a Crisis: the Global Response to Support Children
March 24, 2020
Every day the numbers testing positive for COVID-19 rise and countries around the world face new realities. If there is anything this crisis has reinforced, it is that there are no real borders. We are all interconnected.
While advocates for children and families are rallying in the United States, similar efforts are taking place around the world across the various sectors, including health, education, child protection and social protection. Together the actions they propose can help mitigate the impact of the pandemic on child development and family well-being.
Below I provide a glimpse into the global response to date. The list of organizations and resources emerging minute by minute is a testimonial to all of those around the world who are trying to address the needs of children and families.
Tracking the pandemic and providing guidance on health
WHO has been tracking the number of people affected around the world and providing the latest up to the date information on the pandemic, including country specific information and technical guidance.
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019\
Stepping up supports for young children and families
We know that very young children are particularly vulnerable in times of crises, especially in communities with high concentration of poverty, lack of access to health care, child care, adequate nutrition and family support. The Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN) catalyzes collective action on behalf of young children and their families around the world. ECDAN has been working with a number of international organizations and regional early childhood networks to gather resources in multiple languages to support nurturing care during the crises.
www.ecdan.org
WHO has also developed important advice for the public on healthy parenting.
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/healthy-parenting
UNICEF has responded with a wide array of information and support for children and families around the world, including important resources for parents and practioners.
https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/covid-19
Responding to the growing number of children out of school around the world
About half the world’s student population have been impacted by schools and university closing. Calling it an “unprecedented challenge,” UNESCO has reported that schools have been closed in more than 100 countries, with partial closures in others – and with more closures to come. UNESCO is tracking the range of issues facing schools and providing important information for educators around the world.
https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-emergencies/coronavirus-school-closures
The International-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) is an open, global network of members working together within a humanitarian and development framework to ensure that all individuals have the right to a quality, safe, relevant, and equitable education. INEE has developed a list of resources to support the provision of education in places affected by COVID-19, with particular focus on distance learning, alternative education, e-learning, and psychosocial support.
https://inee.org/collections/coronavirus-covid-19
Making child protection a priority
Protecting children from the adverse emotional experiences that result from a crises is just as important as safeguarding their health. We know too well the stress that this crises is putting on families, particularly those who live in crowded conditions, making children more vulnerable.
The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action is a global network of operational agencies, academic institutional, policymakers, donors and practitioners. Its mission is to support efforts of humanitarian actions to achieve high quality and effective child protection interventions in both refugee and non refugee humanitarian context. The Alliance has developed an important technical guidance for protecting children as the crises unfolds.
https://www.alliancecpha.org/en
In light of the pandemic and its serious risks for persons with disabilities, The International Disability Alliance (IDA), an alliance of 14 global and regional organizations of persons with disabilities, compiled a list of the main barriers that persons with disabilities face in this emergency along with practical solutions and recommendations.
http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/
More than 70 million people globally have been forced by persecution, conflict and violence and human rights violations to flee their homes. Refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced people around the world too often live without access to clean water, adequate housing, health and family support. These conditions can have a profound impact on the developing child. Much more needs to be done to protect children of refugee families. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is currently strengthening its overall preparedness, prevention and response measures to COVID-19 around the world.
https://unhcr.org
Calling for social protections for families
Families all over the world are at risk of losing jobs, income and job protections which will will have serious impacts on children. Moreover a large segment of the workforce, particularly women around the world, work in the informal sector under conditions that make social distancing particularly difficult. Social Protection efforts are critically important for safeguarding the wellbeing of children and families
The International Labor Organization has conducted a preliminary assessment concerning the possible impact of COVID 19 on the world of work and proposes a range of policy options to mitigate these impacts and facilitate recovery.
https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/coronavirus/lang–en/index.html
In this global emergency, Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) is focused on the potentially devastating consequences for the world’s two billion informal workers, who lack labour, social and health protections. WIEGO is maintaining close communications with informal worker organizations and networks to determine what is needed and to assist in their advocacy work.
https://www.wiego.org/covid19crisis
Social isolation does not have to mean social disconnections. People are responding in unprecedented ways that go well beyond borders. Hopefully this can lead to improved conditions for children, a stronger safety net and an enhanced ability to live together in harmony in the future.
Joan Lombardi, PhD is an international expert on child and family policy and a global champion for children.
All Together: Responding to the Crisis
March 19, 2020
We all stand together during these difficult times. Some live in countries in the middle of the pandemic, others live in countries where the pandemic may be in an earlier stage. Hopefully preparedness and response systems are well underway.
People who work on behalf of young children and families are a very giving and “can do” group. Because many of you work with families every day, you understand the conditions they face, particularly during times of economic and social stress. This makes your role in this current crisis even more important.
Yet things seem to be changing fast; nothing seems the same as it was even last week. Like so many you may wake up every day and wonder, “What do I do now? How can I protect my own family? What else can I do to make a difference? What can I do to support families and promote nurturing care?”
There are no easy answers here and no simple solutions. But we can renew our commitment to:
Staying healthy - The messages about staying healthy are everywhere- from washing hands to social distancing. These actions are not just for our personal well-being but are acts of social solidarity. When you safeguard your own health -- both physically and emotionally -- you are contributing to a healthier and safer world.
Protecting Children - In an emergency, all children, and particularly young children are at risk. They are at risk for being left unattended, left in crowded conditions, with lack of access to clean water and sanitation, health care and adequate nutrition. Emergency preparedness means helping to find safe places for children in the community, working across sectors and giving voice to the conditions that children are experiencing.
Supporting Families - We all know that child wellbeing is directly related to the wellbeing of their family. The conditions of the caregivers either enable nurturing care or can undermine it. In our field, we value families and communities. We know it is the local community organizations, civic and faith based groups that provide the social fabric that helps enable families to support their children. These are the exact organizations that need resources and encouragement.
Speaking out - Now is the time to find your voice. It is a time for government investments to support families and protect children. Where the public sector was not providing such support before, they need to do it now. Where there are disruptions in schools, child care, family income and social safety nets, advocates for children have to document those needs and continue to stand up in a very visible way for the rights of children to safety and security.
Finally, you may be spending more and more time helping others and feeling a lot of stress yourself. During times of crises, when things seem particularly difficult, we all have to find something positive to think about during the day: reflect on a good memory or look at a beautiful picture, listen to a favorite song, or walk in the sunshine.
While we can’t hold hands right now, we can get up each day and keep moving forward. We can give voice to the needs of children, families and the communities we love. The bottom line is that we are all in this together.