Early Childhood Focused COVID-19 Resources
This page will automatically update with new resources. Check back often.

For parents, educators, administrators, child protection workers, health practitioners, and policymakers

Some resources available in multiple languages, including Afrikaans, Arabic, Bahasa Indonesian, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Xhosa
Resources to share? Email us at info@ecdan.org

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.

FOR CHILDREN
Birdie and the Virus 
Birdie and the Virus has been specifically designed to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of babies and young children, their parents and families, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is part of Birdie’s Tree, a suite of resources produced by the Queensland Government.

COVIBOOK by Mindheart 
A short book which was created to support and reassure children under the age of 7, regarding the COVID-19. Available in multiple languages. 
 
COVID-19 Helpers 
Award winning book from the USA. Available in English.
 
Why We Stay Home - Suzie Learns About Coronavirus 
The book is available in Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese. Animated video also available for viewing. 
 
Nabu 
NABU created the COVID-19 Health collection with the support of experts in the field of health, neuroscience and child development, and a team of authors who pitched in to create information-rich, compelling stories. Six titles are now available in multiple languages
 
We're going to be OK 
Book currently available in English.
 
Together: Living Life During COVID-19 
Book currently available in English.

COVID-19 Coloring Book: Coping Through Coloring 

Mikhulu Child Development Trust: Lockdown Book Share (South Africa) 

Talking is Teaching: "Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing" Indoor Activities Resources 
These resources provide you with ways you can talk, read, sing, and play your way through the day—just with things you might already have indoors. Pick and choose the ideas that work best for your child’s age and interests. And follow your child’s lead on other ways they want to play!

LEGO Foundation: StoryCity
We’re inviting kids to create the buildings, neighborhoods, and stories of #StoryCity, a collaboratively constructed and imagined city that will let kids connect around the world.

Playright: Value children, value play (Hong Kong SAR)
COVID-19 has affected Hong Kong since January.  We have developed daily home play ideas to support parents to play with children at home with limited space.
Cantonese 
Facebook resources (Cantonese)


 
The Re-Trade Project: Bash the trash (South Africa)
Bash the Trash is an education initiative encouraging children to make their own instruments out of waste and play it along to a simple song.  This innovative approach was created out of a need for South African based education material and resources for children and classrooms on the topic of recycling.

VROOM
Vroom is a global program of the Bezos Family Foundation. We believe all parents have the potential to create a bright future for their children. Our free, science-based tips and tools help parents and caregivers give children a great start in life today—and an even better future.

We Are Teachers: The Big List of Children’s Authors Doing Online Read Alouds & Activities (USA)
With kids at home and parents looking for educational activities, many of our favorite authors are offering online read alouds and activities on social media. We’ve rounded up over 50 of the best virtual author activities below!

Sesame Street in Communities 

Sesame Street: Caring for each other
This site provides content and resources you can use with your family to offer comfort and spark playful learning activities. Children thrive with structure in their lives and they learn best through play, even in everyday moments like mealtimes and morning and evening routines. We hope the content and resources help you and your family breathe, laugh, and play together! And remember—they are not prescriptions you have to follow, but ideas you can use to spark other playful learning moments.

CreateCATT: Create, Play, Move and LEARN
YouTube link to “Stay at home, play at home”

Recycle and play
Various play ideas made from recycled items.

Sesame Street: Toolkits
Have you ever wished that your child came with an instruction manual? Sesame Street Tool Kits are the next best thing. They provide opportunities to build closeness and confidence, making learning fun, and keep your child's world safe and secure.

Zero to Three: Play activities for 12-24 months (USA)

NASA: NASA Kids’ Club Activities for Children (USA)
Resources to share? Email us at info@ecdan.org
RESOURCES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE
Childcare and home visiting programs

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.

USAID: Community Health Worker (CHW) Resource Package 
The Community Health Worker Resource Package compiles priority resources for strengthening CHW programs and includes tools, research, guides, approaches, and best practices recommended by USAID’s flagship project community health experts.

Institute of Childhood Preparedness: Premium Preparedness Partner Program 
Online training courses led by experts in pandemic preparedness, public health, environmental health, mental and behavioral health, food safety, emergency preparedness, and law enforcement. Online training for early childhood professional is available in English and Spanish.

Five ways health and social services can support babies, toddlers and the people who care for them through the Covid-19 pandemic 
This brief is part of the Bernard Van Leer Foundation series on ways to limit the impact of COVID-19 on babies, toddlers and the people who care for them.

Joan Lombardi: Emergency Child Care: Issues to Consider 
 
CDC, Centers for Disease Control: For Child Care Programs That Remain Open (US-focus) 

ChildCare Aware: Should I close my child care program?
Here you will find a decision tree that adapted from the CDC's guidelines for K-12 schools. These questions will help you determine whether to stay open or close in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

IRC: Reach Up and Learn in the Syria Response: Adapting and implementing an evidence-based home visiting program in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria 
Reach Up and Learn is an evidence-based home visiting program which originated in Jamaica and has since been adapted to support caregivers of children 0-3 years old in 18 countries. As part of prioritizing early childhood development in responding to the Syrian refugee crisis, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) adapted this model, and trained refugee and host community workers to conduct regular visits to caregivers of young children, in which they demonstrate simple, homemade toys and play-based activities using contextualized books, puzzles, handmade toys, dolls and local songs. 
Press release | Technical report | Video 

Urban Institute: Policies, Practices, and Resources for Child Care and Early Education Providers Amid the Coronavirus Crisis (US-focused, but applicability elsewhere)

National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER): Resources for early childhood workers and parents
NIEER will collect resources for state early childhood policymakers and other stakeholders to help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to prepare in the event of closing or other emergencies that impact early childhood program operations.  We are all working together to take the right steps to address this emergency at this critical time facing our nation and the world.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Guidance for Schools and Childcare Programs Before and During an Outbreak

UNICEF: COVID-19: Trends, Promising Practices and Gaps in Remote Learning for Pre-Primary Education


 
Child protection

COVID-19 and Child Development 
IDB's bilingual portal includes detailed response of Latin America and Caribbean governments' responses to the challenges of providing continuity to early childhood care services amid the pandemic caused by COVID-19. They also contain resources, materials, videos, guides and technical guidelines to meet the care and development needs of the children who need it most. 

Protecting children from violence in the time of COVID-19
As daily lives and communities are upended by COVID-19, concern is mounting that children’s exposure to violence may increase. Children with a history of abuse may find themselves even more vulnerable – both at home and online – and may experience more frequent and severe acts of violence. Others may be victimized for the first time.

End Violence Against Children: COVID-19 Social Media Kit: Ending Violence Against Children

Toolkit with messages on parenting, care and preventing violence against children.

Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center (US) 
Internet safety
Reducing the risk of child sexual abuse during isolation


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)



Better Care Network: Resource Center on COVID-19 and Children's Care 

This section includes resources on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic as it relates to child protection and children's care.
 

Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies: Child Protection COVID-19

Global Campaign to End Violence Against Children: Protecting children during the COVID-19 outbreak

The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action

The Alliance developed this technical note for the protection of children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this brief is to support child protection practitioners to better respond to the child protection risks during this pandemic. Part 1 presents the potential child protection risks COVID-19 can pose to children. Part 2 presents programmatic options in line with the 2019 Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS) and the Guidance Note: Protection of Children During Infectious Disease Outbreaks.
English | Arabic | Chinese | Farsi | French | Italian | Korean | Spanish 



 
Education (pre-school, early grades)

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.

UNICEF, UNESCO, World Bank Group — Guidance Note: Reading and Learning During Global Emergencies 
The 5-page note summarizes the challenges to reading and learning presented by COVID-19, lays out considerations and guiding principles, as well as some practical information on how to access quality materials even in areas where internet connectivity is low or non-existent.

Guidance on Reopening Early Childhood Education Settings
As countries make decisions to reopen schools, there are unique considerations related to opening early childhood education (ECE) settings, in order to ensure holistic approaches to nurturing care and learning for young children. This guidance note outlines key principles and practical measures for decision-makers to consider before, during and after the transition from closure to reopening. 

EDC: Audio Now!: Responding to COVID-19 
Ninety percent of the world’s children are out of school due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Radio can keep this health crisis from becoming an educational crisis.

Mobiles for Education Alliance
Landscape reviews and other resource materials have been compiled by various members of the mEducation Alliance or other stakeholders to give snapshots of a range of ICT4E projects and interventions.

All Children Reading: Nine global EdTech solutions to support out-of-school children during the Coronavirus outbreak
ACR GCD-funded innovations available in multiple languages and across a variety of devices to support early-grade literacy.

UNESCO: Distance learning solutions
The list of educational applications, platforms and resources below aim to help parents, teachers, schools and school administrators facilitate student learning and provide social care and interaction during periods of school closure. Most of the solutions curated are free and many cater to multiple languages. While these solutions do not carry UNESCO’s explicit endorsement, they tend to have a wide reach, a strong user-base and evidence of impact. They are categorized based on distance learning needs, but most of them offer functionalities across multiple categories.



 


USAID: Delivering distance learning in emergencies: A review of evidence and best practice  

LEGO Foundation: 5 essentials for high-quality learning during Covid-19 


Interagency Network for Education in Emergencies: Psychosocial support

Interagency Network for Education in Emergencies: Distance learning

World Health Organization: COVID-19: IFRC, UNICEF and WHO issue guidance to protect children and support safe school operations

Guidance includes practical actions and checklists for administrators, teachers, parents and children
Briefing | Guidance document

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Guidance for Schools and Childcare Programs Before and During an Outbreak

Center for Learning in Practice:  Moving Learning Online in Emergencies
Professional resources, virtual events, forums, and a vital community exists to support you now! Learn to stay productive while working remotely. 

Urban Institute: Policies, Practices, and Resources for Child Care and Early Education Providers Amid the Coronavirus Crisis (US-focused, but applicability elsewhere)

UNESCO: How to plan distance learning solutions during temporary schools closures

National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER): Resources for early childhood workers and parents
NIEER will collect resources for state early childhood policymakers and other stakeholders to help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to prepare in the event of closing or other emergencies that impact early childhood program operations. We are all working together to take the right steps to address this emergency at this critical time facing our nation and the world.

World Health Organization: Guideline on School Health Services

USAID and Momentum: Radio: A Low-Tech Solution to Deliver Integrated Nurturing Care Services During COVID-19

The brief summarizes how a nurturing care radio program was adapted to include COVID-19-specific messages to meet the urgent need of reaching caregivers with vital health information and prevention measures, while expanding programmatic reach to serve the entire country.  The brief also includes key recommendations from adapting and scaling up of an evidence-based Rwandan radio program on nurturing care. 
 
Health and nutrition

Nutrition crisis looms as more than 39 billion in-school meals missed since start of pandemic – UNICEF and WFP 
More than 39 billion in-school meals have been missed globally since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic due to school closures, according to a new report released today by the UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti and the World Food Programme. UNICEF and WFP are urging governments to prioritize schools for reopening while making sure that the health, food and nutritional needs of children are met through comprehensive, high-quality school feeding programmes.

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.


Nutrition and COVID-19: Malnutrition is a threat-multiplier 
The report shows that global and national nutrition patterns hide significant inequalities within countries, with vulnerable groups most affected. How did we get here and what can we do to prevent further deepening of inequalities in nutrition outcomes?

Understanding Child Health in the Context of COVID-19
Much of the published data and focus of the COVID-19 pandemic has been on adult patients, leaving behind a large knowledge gap for child health service providers and global partners assisting in the pandemic response. The body of information regarding clinical features of the coronavirus in children and adolescents is growing.


UNICEF Guidance Note: New Design For the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) Tape 
Through a collective effort by its Nutrition Programme, Supply Division and Regional Offices, UNICEF has developed a modified design of the MUAC tape that adheres to the safety and hygiene precautionary measures introduced in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Caregiver Mental Health | Knowledge Sharing Series 
The Knowledge Sharing Series is focused on promoting the exchange of knowledge and resources with anyone who has a vested interest in caregiver mental health, including academic researchers, government representatives, policy makers, funders, and implementers. 

Feeding young children during the COVID-19 pandemic
It is particularly important for young children under the age of two years to have a nutritious diet to protect their immunity, and to ensure their future growth and development. The link provides tips for ensuring that young children receive a nutritious diet during the COVID-19 crisis.

Taking School Meals Home
When the COVID-19 crisis started, 90 percent of the world’s schoolchildren were sent home. With schools shut, children missed out on their education and vital services, such as meals, nutrition and health. After coronavirus closed schools in the Republic of Congo, the World Food Programme (WFP) and teachers got to work to ensure that children keep receiving their daily meal at home.

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2020): Transforming Food Systems to Deliver Affordable Healthy Diets for All 
"…most countries are not on track to meet the SDG 2 targets to end hunger and food insecurity (SDG Target 2.1) and all forms of malnutrition (SDG Target 2.2) by 2030. The COVID-19 pandemic will make it more difficult to get back on track... the higher cost and unaffordability of healthy diets is associated with increased food insecurity and different forms of malnutrition, including stunting and adult obesity. Shocks, like the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbate this because they negatively affect poor people’s quality of diet and make healthy diets less accessible in many parts of the world."


Urban Considerations for World Vision’s Covid-19 Report
COVID-19 transmission in cities could impact a significant number of people in a very short time span due to the characteristics of urban environments. While population density in cities might be contributing to fast transmission, higher densities could be helpful in fighting the pandemic. What puts cities at higher risk is poverty and marginalization of specific groups and spaces creating hotspots of the pandemic in urban areas.
 


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

WHO has published interim guidance on the clinical management of severe acute respiratory infection when novel coronavirus (nCoV) infection is suspected. This guidance includes information on caring for pregnant women with COVID-19 as well as information on caring for infants and mothers with COVID-19, intrapartum care (IPC) and breastfeeding. Considerations for paediatric patients and pregnant women are highlighted throughout the text. This guidance is not meant to replace clinical judgement or specialist consultation but rather to strengthen clinical management of these patients and to provide up-to-date guidance. Best practices for infection prevention and control (IPC), triage and optimized supportive care are included.

WHO: Mental health and psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 outbreak

Medicines for Humanity: COVID-19 global pandemic

As a global health organization, Medicines for Humanity (MFH) is working alongside many other partners and institutions to help support communities and clinics around the world to manage and survive through this pandemic of novel Coronavirus-19. We have created educational and training materials for our partners around the world and make these available to any interested partners. Please feel free to use these resources and share them with others.
NOTE: Many resources are in English, Spanish, French, and Haitian Kreyol 


PMNCH guidance on COVID-19 and women, children and adolescents’ health

American Academy of Pediatrics: Clinical guidance for pediatric practices
This webinar offers clinical guidance on the newly emerged Coronavirus strain (COVID-19) and strategies for pediatricians to increase infection control practices in their office to protect their patients and health care workers.

American Academy of Pediatrics: Talking to and supporting children during a pandemic
This webinar discusses effective communication strategies for clinicians and ways to talk to and support children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategies to help parents communicate with their children are also included.

Journal of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for Development: Water, sanitation and hygiene practices in early childhood development (ECD) centres in low socio-economic areas in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa 
Workbooks: English | Xhosa | Afrikaans

 
FOR PARENTS
How to communicate with children about COVID-19

Parent Manual Activities for children up to age 3 years 
This manual provides content that can be shared with parents to support playful interactions for children 0-36 months. The manual was developed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the suspension of many programs that involved home visiting or parent groups.

World Vision: Playful Parenting Activity Booklet 
This booklet contains ideas for parents and caregivers to help support their young child's physical, cognitive and social-emotional development and includes specific ideas for children from 0-6 years of age.

World Vision: Toy Guide for ECD 
This booklet contains instructions for parents and caregivers to make simple toys for children 0-6 years.

UNICEF South Africa: Tshwaragano ka Bana - Let's play, learn and grow together #11+ 
For parents and primary caregivers to support the early learning and development of children birth to 5 or 6 years at home through the use of daily routines, playful learning activities and other low-resource/low costs options, based on the National Curriculum Framework for Children birth to four years (NCF) and the  National Parenting Programme.


Helping Children and Families Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic 
The information and activities in this resilience-enhancing activity book helps children and families cope with the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The material is highly interactive and designed for adults to work on together with children. 

COVID-19 Guide for Parents 
UNICEF Parenting offers parents and caregivers the information to navigate the health crisis brought on by COVID-19 by providing parents with accurate and reliable information on the best ways to keep their families safe.

UNICEF Serbia COVID-19 Resources Page 
UNICEF Serbia is re-prioritizing its internal resources and building partnerships to support children and their communities in Serbia. Parents can access its all information in one place resources page on COVID-19 available in Serbian | English

Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University: A Guide to COVID-19 and Early Childhood Development 
The global response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has changed daily life in many ways for many people. Yet child development has not paused, and supporting children, families, and care providers of all kinds is as important as ever. In this guide, the Center on the Developing Child has gathered a number of resources and recommendations to help you through this challenging time. This guide pulls together information on COVID-19, what it means for child development, and easy-to-share resources that can help parents and caregivers, as well as child care providers, pediatricians, and others who work with families.

iACT: Coronavirus parent-caregiver one-pager 
Activities and suggestions on how to work with children during this uncertain time 

Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy, Yale University: COVID-19 and the Family Climate -- Connecting in a time of physical distance 
The COVID-19 pandemic has overtaken our normal routines and occupies our minds day and night. As we respond with physical distancing, this crisis also highlights our need for connectedness. For the youngest members of our families, connections with caring and supportive adults are essential building blocks for resilience, cognitive development, and learning. For all of us, these connections are an important way to manage stress and anxiety during uncertain times—while practicing physical distancing. This website offers simple strategies all of us can use daily to help our children learn and grow in the wake of COVID-19. These strategies are derived from the CHILD Tool, developed by Yale University scientists drawing on decades of research, teaching, and raising our own children. Though the CHILD was originally intended to support early childhood care and education professionals, we’ve adapted the principles for parents and caregivers to use at home.

SmartStart (South Africa): COVID-19 resources and guidelines 
During these unprecedented and difficult times, SmartStart’s top priority is to support our SmartStarters, parents and children, and the communities that they live in. Working with our partners, we will harness our network to share information and resources on public health, child safety, and things to do at home. Be safe. Be smart. Be kind.

University of Oxford: How to tell children that someone has died 

UNICEF China: Daily messages for parents
3 - 6 years old: Chinese
0 - 3 years old: Chinese

UNICEF Parenting
Helping parents give children the best start in life. Includes content on COVID-19.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) – Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19)
Provides information for parents and caregivers about infectious disease outbreaks in your community. This resource will help parents and caregivers think about how an infectious disease outbreak might affect their family and what they can do to help their family cope.
Chinese | Spanish
 



Child Mind Institute: Supporting Families During COVID-19
We know parents are struggling to balance work, child care and self-care while keeping worries — both your children’s and your own — under control. You don’t have to do it alone.

UNICEF: What parents should know (global)
How to protect yourself and your children.
English | Français | Español |  العربية | 中文 | Tiếng Việt |Bahasa Indonesia

iACT: Coronavirus/Covid19 Facts and Precautions – Printouts in Multiple Languages
The list of educational applications, platforms and resources below aim to help parents, teachers, schools and school administrators facilitate student learning and provide social care and interaction during periods of school closure. Most of the solutions curated are free and many cater to multiple languages. 
Coronavirus (Covid19_2019-nCoV) Facts and Precautions: English | French | Farsi | Arabic | Swahili | Kirundi | Sorani | Kurmanji
Coronavirus One-pager: English | French | Farsi | Arabic | Swahili | Kirundi | Sorani | Kurmanji

UNICEF (Portugal): Prevenção e contenção do COVID-19

Centro per la Salute del Bambino  (CSB, Trieste, Italy): Il tempo (prezioso) del coronavirus

National Association of School Psychologists: Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource

It is very important to remember that children look to adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events. If parents seem overly worried, children’s anxiety may rise. Parents should reassure children that health and school officials are working hard to ensure that people throughout the country stay healthy. Teaching children positive preventive measures, talking with them about their fears, and giving them a sense of some control over their risk of infection can help reduce anxiety.

American Academy of Pediatrics: Finding Ways to Keep Children Occupied During These Challenging Times  
Families are doing their part to help contain the spread of the novel coronavirus by keeping children at home, which means finding creative ways to keep everyone calm, healthy and engaged in constructive work and play.

Mtoto News: Washing steps in child-friendly version COVID19

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019: Messages for parents, school staff, and others working with children

Early Edge California: A comic just for kids: Exploring the new coronavirus

Ariadne Labs, Dan Schwarz, MD, MPH y Asaf Bitton, MD, MPH: Social medical advice on social distancing for families English | Spanish

American Academy of Pediatrics: How to protect your family

Covibook: Supporting and reassuring children around the world 
Picture book by Manuela Monila depicting various emotions children experience in the current situation - in various languages. https://www.mindheart.co/descargables

Español | English | Italiano | Português (Brasil)| Português | Français | Polskie | עברית | Bahasaindonesia | Deutsch | Türkçe | Pусский | عربيمصري | عربى | ρουμανικός | Magyar | Ελληνικά | Dansk | Српски | Welsh | Hrvatski | 日本語

Zero to Three: Tips for Families: Talking About the Coronavirus (US-focused)

Childmind: How to talk to kids about the virus (US)

Arab Resource Collective

Save the Children: Coronavirus and Kids: Resources

Save the Children: 7 Simple Tips on How to Talk to Kids About the Coronavirus

UNICEF (China): How to keep a strong, healthy body and mind  
English | Chinese

UNICEF (China): Tips to reduce risk
English | Chinese









 
How to help children cope with stress

Stress and Violence in the Home During the Pandemic  

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 Pandemic

Feeling 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.


Arab Resource Collective
Includes weekly awareness posts directed to caregivers and youth about ECD and mental health during the lockdown. 

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.


 



Child Trauma Training Center, University of Massachusetts: Resources for Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic
The following guidance, recommendations, and resources are provided by child trauma experts at Child Trends and the Child Trauma Training Center at the University of Massachusetts. The Center is housed at the University of Massachusetts with Child Trends as the lead evaluating agency, with funding from SAMHSA and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and additional support from HRSA.

Inter-Agency Standing Committee Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings (IASC MHPSS RG): My Hero is You 
General site resource: Over 1,700 children, parents, caregivers and teachers from around the world took the time to share with us how they were coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. A big thank you to these children, their parents, caregivers and teachers for completing our surveys and influencing this story. This is a story developed for and by children around the world.

Book: Over 1,700 children, parents, caregivers and teachers from around the world took the time to share with us how they were coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. A big thank you to these children, their parents, caregivers and teachers for completing our surveys and influencing this story. This is a story developed for and by children around the world.


Southend Educational Psychology Service (SEPS, UK)
Given the current uncertainty around the coronavirus, we are focusing on sharing resources which help children and young people, families, school staff and other professionals at this time. This includes information on how to explain to children and young people what the coronavirus is; resources to use at home with your children and resources of interest to teaching staff and professionals if you need to stay at home.

World Health Organization: Helping children cope with stress during the 2019-nCoV outbreak

 
How to organize homeschooling

The MHPSS Collaborative and Save the Children: Tips for parents and caregivers during COVID-19 School Closures: Supporting children’s wellbeing and learning 

Aga Khan Foundation: Supporting Families to Help Children Learn during COVID-19 
Narrative Memo – Supporting Families to Help Children Learn during COVID-19
12 Tips for Caretakers to Help Children Learn during COVID-19
75 Suggested Offline/Online Learning Activities for Children during COVID-19

WideOpen School
Wide Open School is a free collection of the best online learning experiences for kids curated by the editors at Common Sense. There is so much good happening, and we are here to gather great stuff and organize it so teachers and families can easily find it and plan each day.

Florida Museum: Marvelous Explorations Through Science and Stories (MESS)
MESS is a science-centered early childhood curriculum enhancement. MESS includes 10 month-long units that are appropriate for 3- through 5-year-old children. Each unit includes field-tested science experiences, suggestions for ways to integrate each topic across the curriculum, lists of recommended books and science materials, and ideas for involving families in children’s learning at home and in other settings.

Save the Children: Weekly learning activities schedule
Young children | K - Grade 1 | Fun ways to incorporate math


 


UNESCO: Distance learning solutions
The list of educational applications, platforms and resources below aim to help parents, teachers, schools and school administrators facilitate student learning and provide social care and interaction during periods of school closure. Most of the solutions curated are free and many cater to multiple languages. 

Worldreader: Keep children reading
BookSmart gives parents and caregivers access to a library from their mobile phones so they can support their children’s learning while physical schools are out of session. BookSmart starts with a free base collection – 75+ great local and international books suitable for young readers and their parents available on Android phones via the Google Play Store.

Khan Academy Kids
Inspire a lifetime of learning and discovery with our free, fun educational program for children ages two to seven.

ABCmouse: Full online curriculum for children 2-8
Free for first 30 days.

Somerville, MA, USA. Early Education, suggestions for homeschool curriculum

Scholastic: Learn at home (this resource may not work in all settings)
Even when schools are closed, you can keep the learning going with these special cross-curricular journeys. Every day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a thrilling, meaningful story or video. Kids can do them on their own, with their families, or with their teachers. Just find your grade level and let the learning begin!
How to engage your child with disability

Ask the Pediatrician: How can I help my child, who has a developmental disability, cope during COVID-19? 
Being a parent or caregiver of a child with a developmental disability has its own daily challenges, but even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jennifer Poon, MD, FAAP, describes how to help children understand and adjust to changes such as wearing masks and physical distancing during the pandemic.

UNICEF and Department of Social Development South Africa: Coronavirus / COVID-19: Explained to Parents of Young Children Booklet (South Africa) 
Translated to South African Sign Language.

UDBHAAS Child Development Centre: Tips for handling special children by special educator (Kolkata, India)
English | Bangla

UDBHAAS Child Development Centre: Guidelines for parents of special needs children (Kolkata, India)
English | Bangla

Autism Society: Coronavirus: Response & Resources
The autism community faces extraordinary challenges during the COVID-19 crisis. We are proud to launch a comprehensive toolkit on our website, which provides COVID-19 information and resources by topic, including Mental Health & Respite, Modifying Routines, Lifestyle

Special Olympics: Young Athletes
Special Olympics Young Athletes is a sport and play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities (ID), ages 2 to 7 years old. Resources for play for parents and educators.

Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (US-focus): Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) (US)
The Early Childhood TA Center has been designated by the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Services, has been designated as the hub for information for young children with disabilities and their families and the programs that serve them in the US.  Information is updated regularly.
 



Council for Exceptional Children: Teaching Special Education Online During COVID-19 (US)

Let’s Fight COVID-19 together with Superhero Me!
An educational resource package for children and people with disabilities to help them develop self-care skills and understand routine changes and protective measures due to COVID-19. It is produced by Superhero Me, with the support of Dr Lim Hong Huay, Dr Leong Hoe Nam, Eden School and Lien Foundation.
Videos in English, Chinese, and Bahasa Melayu (Malay)


Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules (AFIRM): Supporting Individuals with Autism through Uncertain Times
These strategies are intended to be a menu or toolkit of ideas that may be helpful-- caregivers may take one idea at a time and find a way to make it work for their child(ren) with autism and their family. Caregivers may want to start with a strategy they have used in the past, or perhaps find a tool to address the issue that is creating the most immediate stress.  Consider involving the individual with autism in the decision-making process about what tools would be most helpful.

Plain language information on coronavirus by and for people with disabilities
This 8-page booklet about the Coronavirus is written in plain language. It was created by and for people with developmental disabilities. It focuses on “need to know” information (not “nice to know” information). Please share it widely. Our goal is to keep people with disabilities healthy during this national crisis.

Autism: Coronavirus Social Story
Resource for children with autism to help alleviate fears and anxiety many children may be experiencing at this time.

Sign-language: How to keep safe from coronavirus (video)




 
For pregnant women

Maternal and Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality Among Pregnant Women With and Without COVID-19 Infection
In this multinational cohort study, COVID-19 in pregnancy was associated with consistent and substantial increases in severe maternal morbidity and mortality and neonatal complications when pregnant women with and without COVID-19 diagnosis were compared. 

Feeding young children during the COVID-19 pandemic
It is particularly important for young children under the age of two years to have a nutritious diet to protect their immunity, and to ensure their future growth and development. The link provides tips for ensuring that young children receive a nutritious diet during the COVID-19 crisis.

Breastfeeding and COVID-19 
A new guidance video, produced by the The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) with technical guidance from World Health Organization and in collaboration with Medical Aid Films and Studio Eeksaurus, demonstrates how mothers with COVID-19 can safely breastfeed, providing their newborn with the best source of nutrition and protection to survive and thrive.
FOR POLICYMAKERS AND ADVOCATES

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.

COVID-19 pandemic: countries urged to take stronger action to stop spread of harmful information 
The World Health Organization (WHO) together with the UN, specialized agencies and partners called on countries to develop and implement action plans to promote the timely dissemination of science-based information and prevent the spread of false information while respecting freedom of expression. 

This is how we make education fit for the post-COVID world 
Across the world, education systems’ responses to COVID-19 mean students are not re-entering the same classrooms they left earlier this year. It’s a daunting prospect, but also an opportunity to reimagine learning and modernize our education systems for the 21st century.

COVID-19 Lessons from the losses 
If countries considered Universal Health Coverage (UHC) a central policy in their health systems, the COVID-19 has surely demonstrated the need for its urgent and widespread roll out. The pandemic has upended world systems in a manner that no scientists or sophisticated global intelligence could have foreseen.

Nobel Laureates and Global Leaders Call for Urgent Action to Prevent COVID-19 Child Rights Disaster
The Laureates and Leaders for Children, founded in 2016 by Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, state that if the world gave the most marginalized children and their families their fair share, which translates to 20 percent of the COVID-19 response for the poorest 20 percent of humanity, the results would be transformative.

Child Malnutrition and COVID-19: The Time to Act is Now 
A call for concerted action in five key areas to protect maternal and child nutrition in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic issued  by the directors-general of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UNICEF, World Food Program (WFP), and World Health Organization (WHO). The call to action identifies and costs an essential package of four life-saving interventions that need to be scaled-up urgently to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on child nutrition and deny the COVID-19 pandemic an intergenerational legacy of hunger and malnutrition. 
 
How the pandemic is making a global food crisis worse
As the coronavirus pandemic tears across the globe, the toll exacted in lives lost and ruined grows by the day. But for those already in need, especially the hungry and the starving, COVID-19 is accelerating their nightmares. David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss the pandemic supply chain and how to keep 270 million people fed in a year of crisis
 
UN Policy Brief:  The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition 
The COVID-19 pandemic is a health and human crisis threatening the food security and nutrition of millions of people around the world. Hundreds of millions of people were already suffering from hunger and malnutrition before the virus hit and, unless immediate action is taken, we could see a global food emergency. In the longer term, the combined effects of COVID-19 itself, as well as corresponding mitigation measures and the emerging global recession could, without large-scale coordinated action, disrupt the functioning of food systems.

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2020): Transforming Food Systems to Deliver Affordable Healthy Diets for All 
"…most countries are not on track to meet the SDG 2 targets to end hunger and food insecurity (SDG Target 2.1) and all forms of malnutrition (SDG Target 2.2) by 2030. The COVID-19 pandemic will make it more difficult to get back on track... the higher cost and unaffordability of healthy diets is associated with increased food insecurity and different forms of malnutrition, including stunting and adult obesity. Shocks, like the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbate this because they negatively affect poor people’s quality of diet and make healthy diets less accessible in many parts of the world."

Urban Considerations for World Vision’s Covid-19 Report 
COVID-19 transmission in cities could impact a significant number of people in a very short time span due to the characteristics of urban environments. While population density in cities might be contributing to fast transmission, higher densities could be helpful in fighting the pandemic. What puts cities at higher risk is poverty and marginalization of specific groups and spaces creating hotspots of the pandemic in urban areas.

No Time to Wait: A Call to Increase Investments for Young Children and Families Facing COVID-19 and Displacement 

Moving Minds Alliance Message on COVID-19 in Pre-Existing Humanitarian Crises

UNICEF calls for prioritization of investments in Early Childhood Development within the COVID-19 response 
UNICEF reiterates the urgent need to prioritize investments in Early Childhood Development (ECD) including focus on parenting within the COVID-19 response. 

Arab Network for Early Childhood Development (ANECD) Statement in Response to COVID-19 Crisis 
ArabicEnglish

ECWI COVID-19 Position Statement: Five Priority Actions to Protect, Support and Strengthen the Early Childhood Workforce 
A COVID-19 Position Statement from the Early Childhood Workforce Initiative (ECWI) lays out five key actions that governments, civil society organizations, and funding agencies must take to support the early childhood workforce to ensure continuity and quality in efforts to promote nurturing care.

Effects of the Global COVID-19 Pandemic on Early Childhood Development: Short- and Long-Term Risks and Mitigating Program and Policy Actions 
 
UNSG Report on the Impact of COVID-19 on Children 

15 Ways to Support Young Children and their Families in the COVID-19 Response 
Five ways COVID-19 economic recovery plans must invest in the next generation 
This brief is part of the Bernard Van Leer Foundation series on ways to limit the impact of COVID-19 on babies, toddlers and the people who care for them.

Six ways cities can support babies, toddlers and the people who care for them through the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond 
This brief is part of the Bernard Van Leer Foundation series on ways to limit the impact of COVID-19 on babies, toddlers and the people who care for them.

Center for Translational Neuroscience at the University of Oregon: The Forgotten Households (US) 
Households of young children with disabilities are not getting the support they need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Early Childhood Workforce Initiative: COVID-19 Position Statement: Five priority actions to protect, support and strengthen the early childhood workforce 

BetterCare Network: Children with Disabilities and COVID-19 
This section includes resources related to children with disabilities and the COVID-19 pandemic.
UN Secretary General: The Impact of COVID-19 on children (policy brief) 
The report points out that while children are not the face of the crisis, they are at risk of being the hidden victims (Children hidden victims). [99% of the world’s children live with some form of pandemic-related movement restrictions; 60% of the world’s children live in countries with full or partial lockdowns].  In particular it highlights the longer term effects for young children, by stating… “children facing acute deprivation in nutrition, protection or stimulation, or periods of prolonged exposure to toxic stress, during the critical window of early childhood development are likely to develop lifelong challenges….” 

UNICEF: COVID-19: Considerations for Children and Adults with Disabilities 
We are pleased to share a guidance note on considerations for children and adults with disabilities in the COVID-19 response. The guidance describes what we need to know about the situation of persons with disabilities in the COVID-19 response, and what we need to do in five key points..The guidance will be revised as the situation evolves.
English | Spanish | Arabic | Russian | Accessible word | EPUB | Braille | HTML(zip)

FrameWorks Institute: Reframing Early Childhood Development and Learning (Kenya) 
Welcome to Reframing Early Childhood Development and Learning – a communications toolkit for building public support in Kenya for better child development policies and programmes. This collection of research, recommendations and sample communications is designed to help child development advocates increase public understanding ECD. 
Hunt Institute (US): COVID-19 Resources & Policy Considerations
State child-care actions in response to COVID-19 

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

UNESCO: Planipolis portal of education plans and policies. National documents COVID-19 
Planipolis is a portal of national education plans and policies and key education frameworks and monitoring reports. It provides a single entry point to official education resources for national policy makers, donors and partners.

UNICEF: Family-friendly policies and other good workplace practices in the context of COVID-19: Key steps employers can take
The consequences of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak are unprecedented and felt around the world. The pandemic is heavily affecting labour markets and economies, including global supply chains, leading to widespread business disruptions. With many businesses struggling to survive, loss of jobs and income and rising working poverty are a reality for many workers. Self-employed, domestic and care workers and those in casual or temporary agency employment are at particular risk. The absence of adequate social protection systems exacerbates working families’ vulnerability to the crisis.
This document offers (interim) recommendations for employers to mitigate the negative consequences stemming from COVID-19.


Center on International Education Benchmarking
This week’s International Education News shares updates about how Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore are addressing the challenge of transitioning to online and distance learning in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Save the Children: Urgent call to relocate lone children in Greek camps before coronavirus spreads

UNESCO: COVID-19 Educational Disruption and Response

According to UNESCO monitoring, over 160 countries have implemented nationwide closures, impacting over 87% of the world's student population. Several other countries have implemented localized school closures and, should these closures become nationwide, millions of additional learners will experience education disruption. UNESCO is providing immediate support to countries as they work to minimize the educational disruption and facilitate the continuity of learning, especially for the most vulnerable.

Special Envoy to the World Health Organization (WHO): COVID-19 Narratives by Dr David Nabarro
On 21 February 2020, Dr David Nabarro, Co-Director of the Imperial College Institute of Global Health Innovation at the Imperial College London and Strategic Director of 4SD, was appointed as one of six Special Envoys to the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Special Envoy on COVID-19. In this role, David provides strategic advice and high-level political advocacy and engagement in different parts of the world to help WHO coordinate the global response to the epidemic. The following Narratives are being written by David and peers to share with those who want more information about the situation and to help raise the awareness and readiness of all actors.

Thailand: Education policy response to COVID-19

Cambodia: Education policy response to COVID-19

UNICEF: 7 ways employers can support working parents during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak 
Children around the world need support from their parents right now. And parents need support from their employers.

Council for Professional Recognition calls for equitable treatment for early childhood education during COVID-19 pandemic (US)
The Council for Professional Recognition, the international nonprofit organization that oversees the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™, is calling for responsible closures of early childhood centers along with appropriate funding for early childhood educators severely disrupted by the global coronavirus.

ARNEC: Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood Development Statement on COVID-19

NIEER: China ECE Policy Response to COVID-19 

ChildCare Aware: The Latest Resources for Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&Rs) Agencies and Providers (US)

WIEGO: Women Informal Traders and Child Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings in Accra, Durban, and Nakuru 

G
lobal Estimates of the implications of COVID-19-related pre-primary school closures for children's instructional access, development, learning, and economic wellbeing

Society for Research in Child Development: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child and adolescent development around the world

 
GENERAL: OTHER COVID-19 RESOURCES
The pandemic will have a devastating impact on an entire generation of children. We must mitigate it now
Washington Post's Spanish-language edition op-ed on cross country comparison of costing the impact of COVID-19 on GDP via preschool closure.

WHO's latest on COVID-19 
Read the latest update on COVID-19 from the World Health Organization (WHO).

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.

COVID Experiences in the Context of a Challenged Economy 
Data were collected as part of an ongoing practice, policy, and research partnership, Ahlan Simsim. Ahlan Simsim, which means “Welcome Sesame” in Arabic, is the groundbreaking program from Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) that delivers early learning and nurturing care to children and caregivers affected by conflict and displacement across the Middle East.

This is how we make education fit for the post-COVID world 
Across the world, education systems’ responses to COVID-19 mean students are not re-entering the same classrooms they left earlier this year. It’s a daunting prospect, but also an opportunity to reimagine learning and modernize our education systems for the 21st century.

COVID-19 Lessons from the losses 
If countries considered Universal Health Coverage (UHC) a central policy in their health systems, the COVID-19 has surely demonstrated the need for its urgent and widespread roll out. The pandemic has upended world systems in a manner that no scientists or sophisticated global intelligence could have foreseen.

Nobel Laureates and Global Leaders Call for Urgent Action to Prevent COVID-19 Child Rights Disaster
The Laureates and Leaders for Children, founded in 2016 by Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, state that if the world gave the most marginalized children and their families their fair share, which translates to 20 percent of the COVID-19 response for the poorest 20 percent of humanity, the results would be transformative.

World Risks Losing Entire Generation of Children, Nobel Laureates Warn 
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives of millions of people worldwide, accounted for over 869,000 deaths, destabilized the global economy and triggered a marked rise in poverty and hunger in the developing world.

Immediate impact of stay-at-home orders to control COVID-19 transmission on socioeconomic conditions, food insecurity, mental health, and intimate partner violence in Bangladeshi women and their families: an interrupted time series 
Stay-at-home orders (lockdowns) have been deployed globally to control COVID-19 transmission, and might impair economic conditions and mental health, and exacerbate risk of food insecurity and intimate partner violence. The effect of lockdowns in low-income and middle-income countries must be understood to ensure safe deployment of these interventions in less affluent settings

USA Today: During the pandemic, are the little kids all right? Survey shows COVID is taking a toll now and will in the future 
Birth to age 5 is a critical time for child development, research shows, and new data from the Rapid Assessment of Pandemic Impact on Development Early Childhood Household Survey Project (RAPID-EC Project) shows caregiver distress is cascading down to young children in ways science shows can be toxic in the short- and long-term. 

Some Face Mask Modifications Improve Fit and Boost Performance for Medical Professionals and for Public, Study Finds
Certain modifications to face masks, such as double masking and adjusting the fit more tightly around the face, can greatly reduce the transmission of respiratory particles, says a study involving five types of masks, eight modifications, and both mannequins and human subjects.

COVID Vaccines Rarely Lead to Serious Problems in Ages 5-11, CDC Says
The CDC released two studies on Thursday that showed vaccine safety for ages 5-11 and emphasized the importance of vaccinating children against the coronavirus to prevent serious illness and hospitalization.
The parenting ‘vaccine’ 
The world is waiting for a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. In anticipation of successful trial results, preparations are being made for an unprecedented effort to achieve universal coverage and protection. But the interim measures to mitigate COVID-19 have brought their own severe and negative aftershocks. 

How the pandemic is making a global food crisis worse 
As the coronavirus pandemic tears across the globe, the toll exacted in lives lost and ruined grows by the day. But for those already in need, especially the hungry and the starving, COVID-19 is accelerating their nightmares. David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss the pandemic supply chain and how to keep 270 million people fed in a year of crisis.

Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal Foundation: Coronavírus e primeira infância (Brasil) 
The content focuses on care for parents and caregivers, information for the public and private managers, and early childhood professionals. 

Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN): COVID-19 and Nutrition
This knowledge hub aims to be a resource for all members of the SUN Movement to get informed about COVID-19 developments, at large. It also sheds light on important links between COVID-19 and nutrition, hunger, health and food systems – by bringing together important updates, guidance, articles and opinion pieces, in its initial stage. Nutrition can’t wait!

Innovation Edge: Parenting (South Africa) 
On this page you’ll find a collection of free resources, which we hope will be useful to anyone caring for young children aged 0 to 6 during this particularly challenging moment in time. ⁣

Harvard Center on the Developing Child: Stress, Resilience, and the Role of Science: Responding to the Coronavirus Pandemic
Resources.

Promise Venture Studio: Early childhood & Covid-19 -- Curated Support For Unprecedented Times
A single destination for parents, caregivers, educators, and program leaders to find helpful resources for young children during this time.

Every Woman, Every Child: What you need to know about COVID-19 

National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): Coping with COVID-19
The following list of resources have been collected 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.

Interagency Network for Education in Emergencies
The following list of resources have been collected 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.

The Lancet: COVID-19 Resource Centre
To assist health workers and researchers working under challenging conditions to bring this outbreak to a close, The Lancet has created a Coronavirus Resource Centre. This resource brings together new 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) content from across The Lancet journals as it is published. All of our COVID-19 content is free to access. 

CORE Group
CORE Group is convening members and partners to discuss their institutional positions vis a vis COVID-19 (novel coronavirus 2019) in an effort to coordinate and support the global pandemic response.
 
WEBINARS
May 12, 2020 
The Nurturing Care Framework – the Education and Health Nexus
Join the Education for Development Workgroup and the Health & Nutrition Workgroup for an exciting panel discussion with experts about the Nurturing Care Framework across the humanitarian to development nexus.

May 12, 2020 
ARNEC's Webinar Series, Young children amidst COVID-19: #4_Distance learning approaches for young children
This webinar focuses on distance learning approaches for young children and their families and caregivers, particularly transforming the home as a safe learning space through online/digital and non-digital platforms.

April 29, 2020
ECDAN, Inter-American Dialogue, UNICEF: La primera infancia y el COVID-19 - Respuestas a la emergencia (Early Childhood and COVID-19: Responses to the Emergency in Latin America) 

El programa de Educación del Diálogo Interamericano, ECDAN y la Oficina Regional para América Latina y el Caribe de UNICEF convocarán un seminario virtual para reflexionar sobre cómo la emergencia ha afectado la primera infancia y qué respuestas están organizando los gobiernos para responder a la cambiante situación y asegurar que los objetivos de desarrollo infantil continúan recibiendo la atención necesaria.
Access recording: high bandwidth | low bandwidth (audio only)
Summary document: English | Spanish 

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 

[BACK TO TOP]

Resources to share? Email us at info@ecdan.org
BLOGS
This is a series of blog posts we'll share from ECD experts working around the world. We welcome you sharing your thoughts on how the pandemic is affecting young children by reaching out to info@ecdan.org.

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.
 

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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.
 

A reflection by Joan Lombardi, PhD, an international expert on Child and Family Policy.
 
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