Supporting the most vulnerable children and families – Concrete examples of responses to the COVID-19 crisis  

The COVID-19 crisis has brought into focus the importance of the home environment and parents’ irreplaceable role in young children’s well-being, development, and early learning.

The pandemic has highlighted the different roles parents have as well as the need to have flexible and inclusive ECEC programs and services that can adequately address the challenges faced by the most vulnerable (Roma, migrants, and refugees, children with special needs, and families living in extreme poverty).

In many cases, the measures taken to mitigate the pandemic have created additional threats; such as widespread job and income loss, a surge in domestic violence, denied access to basic services, lack of humanitarian support, stigma and marginalization, and food supply emergency, among others.

Acknowledging that it is fundamental to address not only the short-term but especially the long-term impact of COVID-19 on parents’ and young children’s physical and mental well-being, this webinar aspires to share examples of successful approaches for supporting the most vulnerable families and young children in Italy, Belgium, Germany, and Ukraine.