Engagement of Families Attending Early Childhood Services During 5-Month School Closure Due to COVID-19: An Italian Experience

Roberta Nossa,Emilia Biffi,Giovanna Colnago,Laura Saudelli,Christian Caruso,Giovanna De Gregorio,Gianluigi Reni

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.722834

Abstract

During the COVID-19 outbreak, we experienced the suspension of both work-related and spare activities, with the closure of shops, companies, services, as well as schools. Children probably are the ones who have suffered the most from this situation, due to the limited socialization with peers and boredom experienced at home. In this context, schools and childhood services tried to relieve the negative effects brought by the pandemic through actions aimed at actively engaging students and their parents in promoting child development and wellbeing. Therefore, several worldwide actions have been implemented to guarantee educational continuity. However, most of these actions targeted 3–18years old children/adolescents, while the subgroup 0–3 was rarely included. Cooperativa Sociale Aeris, a social enterprise based in northern Italy that deals with socio-educational and welfare services, took several measures to overcome problems resulting from the closure of its services dedicated to 0–3 aged children. In this manuscript, we depict how Aeris kept engaged children and their parents, reporting families’ evaluation on the actions taken. For assessing their proposed activities, Aeris promptly distributed an on-line survey to the families in May 2020. The answers showed that the organized activities had a positive impact on both children and parents, diminishing the sense of loneliness and boredom for the former, and acting as an important support for the latter. Therefore, this manuscript could work as a reference for policy-makers and managers of educational services in implementing activities and initiatives during home schooling.

Highlights

Childhood education holds a key place in the wellbeing of families and their local communities
Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) policies and practices vary among different countries and communities (Rutanen et al, 2014), Childhood Services Support During Pandemic but they are all based on the universal ideals of the “best interest of the child” (Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989)
Aeris is a social enterprise that provides educational and social assistance services, aimed at families with their infants, toddlers and children, youngsters, people with disability, adults in situations of fragility, asylum seekers, and refugees. One of their activities deals with the management of the following Early Childhood Services located in the Northern Italy, which are dedicated to 0–3 aged children:

Summary

Introduction

Childhood education holds a key place in the wellbeing of families and their local communities. The experiences of the first 3 years of life are recognized as highly important with respect to child well-being and development: from the basic care of younger children under age 3 while parents work, the role of Early Childhood Services has been shifted toward socialization, development, and cognitive stimulation (Kamerman, 2000). Children are probably the ones who suffered the most from this situation due to the limited social connection, reduced physical activity, loneliness, and boredom that experienced during the COVID-19 outbreak This could result in long-term negative effects, since the mental and physical health, as well as productivity in adult life, are deeply rooted in the childhood years (Pedrosa et al, 2020)

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