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THIS WEEK'S
HEADLINES
NEWS IMPACTING CHILDREN 0-5 AND THEIR FAMILIES
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Here is a quick look at some headlines from this week impacting the lives of kids 0-5 and their families. The purpose of these stories is simply to inform, and they do not necessarily reflect First 5 Kern's areas of support or efforts towards these issues.
Follow First 5 Kern on social media (@First5Kern) for more kids news, as well as information about our funded programs and initiatives.
Now for the headlines........
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EARLY CHILDCARE & EDUCATION
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Few virus cases reported in Kern County child care centers |
There have been less than two dozen cases of COVID-19 reported among young children who have continued to attend day care and preschool in Kern County during the pandemic, according to data from the California Department of Social Services, which oversees the agency that licenses and regulates child care facilities.
In all, there have been 89 reported cases among child care staff, children or the parents of children attending a child care facility, the data shows. Of those, 20 or fewer were cases among children.
Unlike schools, day care centers, preschools and in-home child care operators have largely reopened, though many are caring for fewer children than before. With 869 licensed child care centers in the county, 772 were operating as of Wednesday, according to Jason Montiel, with the state Department of Social Services. (Bakersfield Californian)
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Senator continues to push for federal child care funds
Calling for a $50 billion federal fund for child care as part of passing the Child Care is Essential Act, U.S. Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand has advocated for child care stabilization through federal funding, particularly to cover additional reopening costs and personal protective equipment.
The act, introduced in the Senate in June, would allot $50 billion in payments to states, with the additional funding available until Sept. 30, 2021. (NNY360)
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School closures damage the youngest children
In the contentious debate over opening schools, there is almost no mention of the youngest learners—children 2 to 5, who attend day care, nursery schools or prekindergarten programs. That’s a terrible omission.
What those children need to accomplish can’t be done in isolation or in front of a laptop, and it has to be done during a brief developmental window that closes around age 5 and never opens again. (Wall St. Journal)
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Lack of school and child care could mean losing 'a generation of working parents' |
Only 19% of parents prefer their children return to school in-person full-time this fall, according to a Pew Research Center survey released Wednesday. Over a third, 36%, prefer a blend of in-person and remote learning, while 28% would like to see their children attending school fully remote.
But the majority of parents say they plan to make major changes to their professional lives to accommodate the lack of child care, according to a new survey of 1,000 parents with children under the age of 15. About 15% of those are considering leaving the workforce altogether. (CNBC)
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Neighborhood child care providers taking in older kids
Child care providers are eager to rebuild their businesses, which were devastated by the pandemic. But a growing number of child-care providers say they want to “help working parents” by making space for their older children, whose K-12 campuses are closed to in-person learning.
One provider said she could look after several kids up to age 12. She’s been supervising her 7-year-old son with his online school work since March. “I thought if I can do that for my son, I can do it for one or two families.” (SJ Mercury News)
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Daycare workers being asked to do too much with distance learning?
Julie Jenkins owns childcare facilities in Sacramento and with students starting the school year from home, she will not be able to support distance learning.
Juggling each student's individual school schedule is just not realistic, which is why she says she will provide alternative childcare for children needing a place to go during their parents eight-hour workday, but they'll have to do school elsewhere.
“We are not willing to open up computers and have children Zoom to four or five different schools,” Jenkins said. (ABC10)
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Why some California classrooms may reopen for child care, but not school |
Some California students may find themselves in child care this fall in the very same classrooms they are barred from entering for in-person instruction.
In an effort to meet the needs of working families, school districts in coronavirus hot spots across California are reopening classrooms as child care sites. But the contradictory rules for child care and in-person instruction has some parents questioning how one is safer than the other.
“Why is a gathering of kids and an adult in a room acceptable if we call it ‘child care,’ and not acceptable if that adult is a teacher, and we call it ‘class?’” said Todd Madison, a parent and school board candidate. (EdSource)
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Amid pandemic, young kids with special needs missing out on services |
Many parents of young children with special needs and other disabilities have struggled to get services for their kids during the pandemic. Some of these children have lost supports such as occupational, physical and speech therapies. Since mid-March, California’s complex special needs care system has struggled to move children from one program to another, parents and advocates said.
For other families, the challenges are more technical. Some providers have closed programs altogether, been slow to transition to online services, or scaled back the programs they offered, leaving kids with a paltry version of the support they received before the pandemic. (CA Health Report)
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A downloadable e-book for kids on Coronavirus
Kids have a lot of questions about the coronavirus pandemic and all the new changes in their lives.
This colorful picture book gives them the answers they've been looking for, explaining what the virus is, how it spreads, and what they can do to help, in gentle and simple language that even the youngest kids can follow.
A Note to Parents and Caregivers offers strategies for helping your kids navigate anxiety they might be feeling around the pandemic. (APA.org)
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When things aren't OK with a child's mental health
Last week, to write about the recurring safety issues of summer (children being out in the sun, or near the water), I talked to safety-minded pediatric emergency room doctors about what was worrying them, and I specified that I wasn’t asking about Covid-19 infection — I was asking about other dangers to children.
But among their concerns about drownings and fractures, the emergency room doctors kept bringing up mental health as a worry. (NY Times)
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Amid the pandemic, new moms aren't getting the breastfeeding support they need |
Even at the best of times, 60% of women who say they want to breastfeed either aren’t able to or run into challenges that force them to stop sooner than they’d hoped. While many of these challenges can be easily overcome with the right help, the pandemic has made those resources nearly impossible for new mothers to access.
“We have a manuscript coming out where we interviewed first-time moms about their lactation experience during the pandemic,” Spatz says. “They are not getting the help they need on the maternity ward.” (Vogue)
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Teaching children how to navigate conflict |
My preschool-age twin boys and I were wearing masks recently as we exited a beach-access stairway. One of my sons asked a stranger walking ahead of us: “Why aren’t you wearing a mask? You’re going to make us sick!”
Later, I realized that I’d missed an opportunity — not to have a debate with strangers, but to help my children make sense of the situation. I had only shared my viewpoints on the situations we’ve faced during the coronavirus pandemic. I hadn’t told them about the other viewpoints that exist or explained why people might think that way. (Washington Post)
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Better playground
design could help kids get more exercise
Scientists across the globe are studying whether certain playground features and designs can encourage kids to move more.
The results so far suggest that there are ways to subtly nudge children into being more active on playgrounds. And scientists say that there’s now enough evidence to begin making some specific recommendations to create playgrounds that foster movement. (Science News)
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It's time to rethink children's privacy protection
The growing prevalence of online services and apps marketing to young demographics is downright scary. And these numbers will only increase.
How are these companies collecting and using our children's data? Enforcement actions against YouTube, Oath, and TikTok totaled over $180 million in 2019 for illegally collecting personal information about children. And more enforcement is coming. (The Hill)
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First 5 Kern was established in 1998 when California voters passed Proposition 10, which levied a 50-cent tax on tobacco products. Revenues generated from the tobacco tax are used to fund local programs in the areas of health and wellness, early childcare and education, and parent education and support services that promote early childhood development for children ages zero to five.
For more information on First 5 Kern and the agencies we support, please visit www.First5Kern.org and follow us on social media.
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Special thanks to Vecteezy for assistance on graphics
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