Covid-19 Impact on Young Children and their caregivers

“You know what is SO pathetic? When a person spends years working hard in school, gets a degree, and then all they become is a nanny.”

A few years before the COVID-19 pandemic, I heard these harsh words from one of my nine-year-old charges. I was getting ready to take my son (a toddler at the time), the two other toddlers I cared for, and their big brother outside. The older kiddo was distracting the littles from getting their shoes on. I asked him to either head outside or help the little ones with their shoes. He didn’t like those choices.

Those words hurt me deeply. Not because they came from the child I cared for, but because he heard those words from an adult who he looked up to. I later realized he learned that language from his father, my employer. I heard his dad say something nearly identical about a massage therapist. I had gotten the parents a couples massage for their anniversary- and they thanked me by teaching their child to devalue childcare providers and other care professionals. This attitude toward early childhood care providers and educators persists throughout American culture, economy, and values.

For me and many other childcare providers, the pandemic has brought to light how many domestic workers and educators are profoundly disrespected. I mean, we already knew nannies are grossly underpaid and frequently disrespected. Families often place completely inappropriate and impossible expectations on their childcare providers. For example, nannies are often expected to be housekeepers on top of their childcare duties. However, they are not compensated for their additional labor. Nannies often don’t have health insurance if they are paid under the table. Consequently, if they were to get COVID, they are either faced with huge medical bills or do not get the care they need. Being paid under the table also means that they do not qualify for unemployment when they lose their jobs. Many daycare workers can barely afford to feed and house their own families. Don’t get me wrong, some families and employers are wonderful. But, there are huge discrepancies and inequities in how childcare providers are treated. This says a lot about how much the United States values children and their care providers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on how little we value children, early childhood care, and educators. It has also shown how our economy exploits “women’s work” (i.e., education, care, and domestic employment). In an article from the New York Times, a Brooklyn nanny said “If you work in an industry made up of mostly women, and many are undocumented immigrants, you’re going to come up against different forms of ingrained oppression”. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been experiencing a childcare shortage crisis. Why would any childcare providers want to return to these degrading, uncertain, and stressful working conditions?

The lack of adequate childcare and education is just one way that the COVID-19 pandemic has harmed young children. Enrollment in schools has decreased sharply since 2020. This means that children are missing out on critical learning and social development opportunities. It also means that schools and programs have lost significant funding. Children have also spent less time on learning activities in the classroom. They’ve experienced both academic and social-emotional setbacks. The groups most impacted by these setbacks are non-English speakers, low-income families, and people who identify as Black, Hispanic, or Native American. This indicates an inequity in childcare access during the pandemic among different racial, ethnic, and income groups.

Researchers have shown that the concurrent COVID-19 and racism epidemics have negatively impacted the mental health of BIPOC children and care providers. Children’s mental health is harmed by racism, and the economic disruption of pandemics often leads to an increased need for special education and emotional support in schools. Young children’s brains are still developing, making them particularly vulnerable to disruptions in their environment and the kind of care they receive. Some long-term impacts of the pandemic on children could be lower educational attainment and mental health problems. These issues are amplified by low socioeconomic status and race.

There is significant research showing that early life experiences, pandemics and racism included, impact lifespan development and health later in life. A dynamic and wide-reaching public health approach to early childhood care and education is necessary for improving the lives and futures of children. Providing a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for children helps them excel academically and be more successful in adulthood. A safe and nurturing environment is one that is familiar and consistent. It is a daycare with low turnover rates and teachers who are well-paid and respected.

To stabilize the economy and childcare infrastructure, the American Rescue Plan Act has promised $40 billion for childcare and an expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. Childcare providers can use grants from this funding to pay for personnel, facility costs, PPE, training, and mental health support for children and employees. To make the greatest impact, childcare centers should work mental health into their regular curriculum. They should also pay their employees a true living wage and provide anti-racism training for teachers. These actions can help to mitigate the impacts of racism and the COVID-19 pandemic to improve the health of children and care providers.

Cassie originally wrote this piece for HERE4Justice, a student-led social justice group at Simmons University.