Webinar of interest? The human side of how COVID is impacting our Children, Families, and Communities

Elizabeth Beaty-Smith 9/2/202:20 PM

I am interested in attending a training/webinar/have conversation OR offer a webinar on how this Pandemic is impacting our Children, Families, and Communities. I have been searching for this information and cannot seem to find, so I am open to collaborating and providing a webinar.

The coronavirus has shattered the system that protects children, leaving some confined in troubled homes or lingering in foster care. The social/emotional effects have yet to be fully seen on how this is damaging our children. What is being done to measure this? To capture this in California specifically and really every state? An overview, a small glimpse in one spot.

Let's bring it down to human real life experiences. How are families, children, and communities REALLY being affected by 6 months of all of this.

So then, we know what to focus on, how we can write policies to help, to know where to allocate funding, how to advocate for these needs, what services are needed, etc..

Here are a few topics of strong interest to me:

The amount of children that are without childcare, or how COVID is collapsing the childcare industry, how many have closed in CA?
Statistics on the amount of child abuse cases or lack of due to not having eyes and protection around the child. Teachers are normally the leading reporters of suspected abuse, calling for help when they notice bruises or signs of hunger or mistreatment at home. Now, teachers get a glimpse of their students only in a virtual classroom, if they see them at all. And while much of the city has been staying indoors and “staying safe,” for many children from troubled homes, the coronavirus pandemic has confined them to the most dangerous place they can be. Same with clinics during wellness checks that mostly are not happening.
How many children are sitting at home alone? Caught COVID? Or lost a parent to COVID? How many teens have committed suicide due to lack of social connections. Or adults?
How is this affecting the lack of services such as WIC appointments, food services at school, are families going hungry? How many families are now homeless due to losing their job because of COVID? How many communities are suffering and even more impoverished or going in that direction? How are California's families suffering?
How can we protect our children and make schools equitable again? Distance Learning is not equitable or sustainable. And is directly impacting our children, families, and communities. ACE scores are rising for many, how can we talk about this? And prevention.
How many children are afraid to give hugs or not receiving any affection or attention right now?

I was sitting in a great webinar and a Doctor of a clinic in Long Beach shared how a child came in to have their feeding tube changed. The clinic was not able to see the patient in the clinic so they had to attempt to do on the bed of a truck. The change was unsuccessful and the child had to be taken to the ER. If the child had been able to be seen and have the care they need, this child/family/staff would not have had to endure that trauma. We need to hear more stories like this.

If you are interested in talking more about or to collaborate please email me at: elizabeth@projectwholechild.com

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Christine Cissy WhiteIt's not trauma-informed unless it's informed by trauma survivors.

Hi Elizabeth:
I think this is a great idea and I'm glad you posted.

There are great resources (here) and lots of events and webinars on our calendar with similar topics. I think there are lots of people doing great work such as Echo Programs, Vital Village, Essdack, RISE Magazine, the Attachment Trauma Network, and the Balancing ACEs with Hope community and so many other organizations as well as individual advocates.

I wonder if a place to start might be in rounding up a post with webinars that have happened already, sharing those, and then seeing where the gaps are? Also, gathering up a team who can help answer some of the questions you posted about.

For example, I think we need more research on child abuse happening during the pandemic. So many reports to child protective services disproportionately impact families of color and many women of color report that the child protective services system, for them, is similar to the criminal justice for Black men - in terms of who gets punished most severely and who does not. I'm hoping there is actually less trauma to families of color with fewer cases being reported through schools as we know that families of color are reported at higher rates and often for what is poverty not abuse. That is not to say that children are all safe at home, as we know that for many of us school was safety, security, and predictability. However, there is also trauma caused by and that happens in school systems and further trauma because of the limits and bias of the child welfare system in most places (i.e. where life and circumstances for many families is made worse).

Also, if it's o.k. with you I can clone your post to the ACEs Connection home page so even more people can see it and can respond. Would that be o.k.?
Cissy

9/8/206:47 AM

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