A new resource from Child Trends outlines ways to promote children’s resilience to the COVID-19 pandemic and to protect them from the potential negative effects that traumatic events can have on children’s development and well-being.
Child Trends reports that families and communities can work together to promote these protective factors:
- Sensitive, responsive caregiving. The primary factor in a child’s recovery from an adverse or traumatic event is the presence of a sensitive and caring adult.
- Meeting basic needs. Meeting the basic needs of children and families—such as food, shelter, clothing, and medical and mental health care—is essential to protecting children’s well-being in stressful times.
- Emotional support for children. Emotional and behavioral changes in children are to be expected during a pandemic, but most children will return to their typical level of functioning from before the pandemic if given strong emotional support from adults and communities.
- Support for caregiver well-being. When parents’ and other caregivers’ needs are met, children are more likely to receive sensitive and responsive care.
- Social connectedness. Although in-person contact may be limited during the pandemic, physical distancing should not turn into social isolation, which is a risk factor for child abuse and neglect, adult and youth substance use, and family violence.
Read the full fact sheet on childtrends.org.