The coronavirus is impacting the field of early childhood education in a multitude of ways, leaving many school administrators, teachers, and parents with more questions than answers.
According to a new study out of UNICEF, close to 40 million children have missed out on early childhood education pre-school this year. Due to the economic and health crises surrounding COVID-19, many administrators of private schools have been faced with the challenging decision of whether to formally close their institutions, possibly leaving the teachers they employ without a paycheck and the families they serve without care.
Many teachers must adjust their curriculum into more digital-friendly formats or pivot between remote and in-person learning. Others, in areas where schools are still open, must decide whether still receiving a paycheck is worth the risk of potentially exposing family members at home to the disease. Meanwhile, millions of parents are facing a child care crisis, forcing essential workers to find alternatives to traditional child care services. And, above all, everyone is trying to cope with an unprecedented event.
In an ongoing effort to help facilitate helpful, reliable information for those in the field of early childhood education, Pacific Oaks Early Childhood Education faculty have compiled a list of useful resources for professionals and families seeking guidance during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Many in our own community are currently working in the field of early childhood education—as administrators and teachers in both private and state-run programs,” Judy Krause, Ed.D., says. Dr. Krause is a core faculty member in the School of Education at Pacific Oaks College and Children’s School. She teaches in the B.A. and M.A. Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs and also oversees the ECE programs at the College’s instructional sites. “And so many of them are reaching out to us, as experts in the field, asking what they should do. So our faculty came together and prepared this list of resources that they can reference now and anytime in the future.”
Whether you are a parent seeking childcare options or an educator tackling hybrid learning, there are resources out there to help. See our full list below.
Resources for child care programs planning to remain open
- Preparing K-12 School Administrators for a Safe Return to School in Fall 2020: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/prepare-safe-return.html
- COVID-19 Infection Prevention in Child Care Programs: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Infection-Prevention-in-Childcare-Programs-Guidance.pdf
COVID-19 resources for school administrators
- California Department of Social Services, Provider Information Notices (PINs) –
Child Care Licensing Program (CCLP): https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/community-care-licensing/policy/provider-information-notices/child-care - California Department of Education: New COVID-19 Guidance for K-12 Schools, includes a link for Childcare and Student Supervision in the event of a school closure: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/guidance.asp
- Safety & Health Guidance for COVID-19 Infection Prevention in Childcare Programs: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Infection-Prevention-in-Childcare-Programs-Guidance.pdf
- COVID-19 (“Coronavirus”) Information and Resources for Schools and School Personnel: https://www.ed.gov/coronavirus
- California Department of Education Management Bulletin 10-09: Reduced Days of Operation or Attendance Due to Emergency Conditions: https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/ci/mb1009.asp
- SB 89, SB 117, and CDE Guidance: What Local Educational Agencies Need to Know About the State’s Response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19): https://www.aalrr.com/newsroom-alerts-3643
- FAQs for ELC Programs(Updated15-Jul-2020): https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/covid19elcdfaq.asp
COVID-19 resources for teachers
- Safety & Health Guidance for COVID-19 Infection Prevention in Childcare Programs: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Infection-Prevention-in-Childcare-Programs-Guidance.pdf
- COVID-19 (“Coronavirus”) Information and Resources for Schools and School Personnel: https://www.ed.gov/coronavirus
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Coping with COVID-19: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/covid-19
- Responsive Early Education for Young Children and Families Experiencing Homelessness: https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/earlyedhomelessness2020.pdf
- Making Videos at Home: Tips for Educators: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/making-videos-home-tips-educators
- Supporting Young Children after Crisis Events: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/jul2020/supporting-young-children-after-crisis-events
- ECE Resources for Teachers (COVID-19): https://www.lacoe.edu/Early-Learning/ECE-Covid-19-Resource-Page/ECE-Covid-19-Resources-for-Teachers
COVID-19 resources for families
- Resource and referral (R&R) statewide consumer education hotline at 1-800-KIDS-793 or https://rrnetwork.org/ and https://rrnetwork.org/family-services/find-child-care for child care referrals
- Helping Children Cope With Changes Resulting From COVID-19: https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-(coronavirus)-a-parent-resource
Additional general resources
- Most current, up-to-date information on COVID-19: https://www.coronavirus.gov/
- Terms and conditions for temporary employer-sponsored child care: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/CCLD/PINs/2020/CCP/PIN_20-04-CCP.pdf
- California Department of Public Health COVID-19 updates: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/New-Release-2020.aspx
- The Early Learning and Care Division (ELCD) has established a dedicated email address to receive public inquiries related to ELCD programs and emergency concerns: [email protected].
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