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Lessons for the future: Supporting the social-emotional needs of children, families, and educators in Head Start during the COVID-19 pandemic

Description:

From the earliest days of the shelter-in-place orders issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, psychologists warned of the deleterious impact such social isolation could have on young children’s social-emotional development. Early childhood education programs, especially those serving low-income and marginalized communities who were hit especially hard by the pandemic, played a critical role in providing support and resources to young families. The federally funded early childhood program, Head Start/ Early Head Start (HS/EHS) was particularly well-positioned to aid in this effort. As the pandemic interrupted classroom-based and in-person activities, resourceful HS/EHS programs continued to support children and families in novel ways. This study aimed to capture this creativity and resourcefulness with the intention of carrying lessons forward to improve practice and response to future crises. HS/EHS center directors (N = 20) were purposefully sampled in collaboration with community partners and were interviewed at two time points (August/September 2020 and November 2020) to capture their program’s practices before, during, and after shutdowns. Findings from this study can inform the ongoing conversation about what postpandemic early childhood education should look like and how best to meet the social-emotional needs of children, families, and educators. (author abstract)

Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
Country:
United States
State(s)/Territories/Tribal Nation(s):
Illinois

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