COVID-19 and Young Families’ Well-Being: From Rapid-Response Research to Policy Solutions
The COVID-19 crisis has left policymakers searching for ways to mitigate both short- and long-term effects on America’s families. Families with young children face significant challenges in the short term, and given that children’s early experiences shape their lives, the long-term consequences may not be known for years.
To amplify the data policymakers need, the Urban Institute has partnered with the University of Oregon’s Center for Translational Neuroscience. The University of Oregon is fielding the Rapid Assessment of Pandemic Impact on Development (RAPID) - Early Childhood, which measures child and family well-being while accounting for the changing context of the crisis and individual experiences.
The Urban Institute team has authored a series of blog posts exploring what these data mean for policy and what solutions policymakers can implement to address the issues families are facing now and may face in the future.
Three Things for the New Administration to Know about How Young Children Are Weathering the Pandemic
Quick and comprehensive intervention can help ensure young children are not playing catch-up for the rest of their lives.
More Children Are Missing Kindergarten. Without Policymakers’ Support, Their Futures Could Be in Jeopardy.
New data show 17 percent of parents are waiting to enroll their children in kindergarten during the pandemic, nearly triple the amount who waited to enroll in 2010.
Working Parents Are Relying on Others to Help with Their Children’s Distance Learning. But Who’s Helping the Helpers?
15 million parents with school-age children engaged in remote learning report that no adult in their household had moved to telework because of the pandemic.
Despite Eviction Moratoriums, Families Are Struggling to Pay for Housing. Federal Relief Is Needed.
Low-income families are struggling to afford rent, utilities, and other basic needs.
What Can Disability Services Teach Schools about Reopening?
Disability services offer lessons on how to adapt and engage families during the pandemic.
Finding Solutions to Support Child Care during COVID-19
The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the supply of child care, both in centers and in home-based settings.
For Unemployed Parents, Child Care Remains a Question Mark
Child care assistance can support economic recovery and remove barriers lower-income families face when trying to reenter the labor force.
Families of Children with Disabilities Will Need Support beyond the Pandemic
Parents of young children with disabilities are experiencing higher rates of stress, depression, and anxiety than other parents.