The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated social and economic stressors can undermine children’s development and well-being. Not only must they cope with major changes to everyday life, such as physical distancing and home confinement, but their families may struggle to meet their basic physical and emotional needs. Rates of poverty, unemployment, parental mental health problems and substance abuse, child abuse and neglect, and intimate partner violence tend to rise during disasters. Children may not receive critical supports they need when community services are limited and fewer adults have direct contact with children.
The good news is that over four decades of research on resilience shows that protective factors can buffer children from harm and increase the chances they adapt positively to adversities such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Families and communities can work together to promote these protective factors.
[Please click here to read more by Jessica Dym Bartlett, Rebecca Vivrette.]
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