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Impact of COVID-19 on Child Care Programs, Potential Solutions & Emerging Opportunities

 
 

Partner: The National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research (NCCOR)

 

The Center for Nutrition & Health Impact (formerly the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition), in partnership with the NCCOR workgroup, conducted a study to explore how Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) and American Rescue Plan (ARP) investments may affect the child care landscape and be maximized to integrate nutrition, physical activity, and healthy growth.

 
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CENTER FOR NUTRITION & HEALTH IMPACT'S ROLE:

The Center for Nutrition & Health Impact (formerly the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition) interviewed 17 key informants working in the ECE space who identified as researchers, practitioners, and federal representatives. Interviews covered interviewee expertise and work in childhood nutrition and physical activity, impact of COVID-19 on ECE, after-school, and summer programs, emerging strategies and adjustments during COVID-19, future programmatic, policy, and research needs to facilitate recovery, and strategic implementation of recovery efforts.

 

COVID-19 Impact:

On Children & Families

  • Child Care Deserts

  • Worsening Food Insecurity & Declining Nutrition

  • Declining Physical Activity

On Child Care Programs & Staff

  • Increased Stress

  • Decreased Enrollment, Closures & Limited Staffing

 

COVID-19 resulted in increased national awareness of staffing and operational struggles in child care programs, food insecurity among child care staff and participating families, and the challenges faced by families due to high cost of child care.

 

Considerations for Strategic Use of Recovery Funds:

  • Focus on Recruiting, Retaining & Training Child Care Staff

  • Promote Sustainable Changes with a Partnership Focus

  • Prioritize Equity

 
“[We need] increased salaries for teachers so that we can get teachers back into the centers to provide more care for families. So, we’re not dealing with the staffing shortages. We can create a safe environment that encourages families to bring their children back.”
— Practitioner

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See the infographic

 

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See the report