“Lost connection”: Pandemic related disruptions to schooling and social services among Latinx immigrant youth and families

Abstract

COVID-19 and subsequent public health measures resulted in significant disruptions to schools and social service delivery to Latinx immigrant youth in the U.S. As social service providers pivoted work to virtual platforms, continuing to provide social-emotional support/therapy and case management; relatively little is known about the pandemic-related issues providers navigated working with Latinx immigrants. This qualitative study (N = 33) elucidates providers’ reflections on presenting issues of Latinx immigrant youth and families and their experiences working to meet clients’ social service needs in the initial months after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Participants indicated Latinx immigrant clients’ needs changed to a “great extent,” reporting that youth experienced limited access to internet and took on additional household responsibilities (i.e., caring for siblings, having to work) impacting their psychological wellbeing. Yet 42 % of participants indicated their organizations “never” or only “some of the time” had enough providers to meet rising client needs. Findings provide critical insights from social service providers on the frontlines of service delivery with Latinx immigrant youth and families during the initial phases of the pandemic. Implications highlight the critical role of the school-home-community connection to prevent health, mental health, and educational disparities.