literature that can shield children from harm and increase the chances they adapt positively to adversities like the coronavirus pandemic. For each protective factor listed, Child Trends’ experts offer numerous suggestions at both the parent/ caregiver and the community/systems levels to support and strengthen that protective factor in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated social and economic stressors.
GoNoodle: Engages children with movement and mindfulness videos created by child development experts. Children’s physical and psychological wellness are closely interconnected. Games and activities supported through this resource are designed to support a Whole Child approach. Portions of this website are tailored to the respective needs of families and of educators.
Helping Your Teen Find Purpose During the Pandemic: Provides clear clinical guidance to parents in a short (less than 3 minutes) video from the JED Foundation.
What to Do if You're Concerned about Your Teen's Mental Health: A Conversation Guide: Offers guidance to help parents and families who are concerned about their teen’s mental health and emotional well-being have important conversations with their child. Although parents often pick up on concerning signs that their teen is struggling, not everyone feels well-equipped to approach their child to have a conversation about how they are feeling. Knowing what to do after the conversation, especially if the child has expressed something concerning, is not always obvious. This guide from the JED Foundation discusses signs that your teen may be struggling; preparing yourself for (and what to do and say during) the conversation; and how to follow up after the conversation.
Helping Homebound Children During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Establishes positive measures families can utilize to include children in planning for the family, and proactive behaviors to help support their sense of agency and control.
Strategies for Parents on Supporting Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Offers tips to support children’s learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic utilizing modules. The IRIS Center is a national center dedicated to improving education outcomes for all children, especially those with disabilities birth through age 21, using effective evidence-based practices and interventions.
Coping in Hard Times: Fact Sheet for Parents (NCTSN): Describes how families' ways to reconcile may be affected by economic hardships. This comprehensive product from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network offers a variety of ways to cope during these uncertain times.
CDC COVID-19: How to Prepare (For Parents): Presents indicators of stress during an infectious disease outbreak, to guide parents about changes in their children that might indicate anxiety. This CDC page also provides guidance for supporting children through this period, including answering their questions and sharing facts, reassuring them that they are safe, limiting exposure to news coverage and social media, and keeping up regular routines. It offers self-care tips for parents to cope with stress due to COVID-19.
Tips for Supporting Yourself During the Pandemic: Offers parents and caregivers six suggestions for self-care to help fortify parents support their children's needs for safety and security in the context of the national emergency. The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations developed this succinct, two-page guidance, and also offers an extensive bank of resources for Emergencies and Natural Disasters: Helping Children and Families Cope.
COVID-19 Planning Guide and Self-Assessment for Higher Education: Offers practical planning resources to help institutions gauge how effectively they are addressing a range of COVID-19 scenarios. This guide and accompanying risk assessment from Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security are intended to accommodate a wide range of institutions: public, private, large, small, comprehensive, specialized, urban, and rural. The tools will help institutions ensure continuity through the pandemic and might 