This webinar focuses on safety and security of young children during and beyond the pandemic.

The key questions that will be answered in the webinar are:

1. What are the major safety risks and threats faced by young children during emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic?

2. How does the pandemic affect vulnerable populations, such as displaced families, refugees and migrants differently?

3. What can we learn from organisations which have put in place child protection mechanisms and services to support young children in vulnerable situations?

The speakers and topics are found below:

Ms Rachel Harvey, UNICEF EAPRO

"Protecting children in times of COVID-19: risks, challenges and opportunities for adaptation"

Ms. Erum Mariam and Ms. Suhany Zaimah,

BRAC Institute of Educational Development (IED), BRAC University, Bangladesh

"Pashe Achhi: Standing beside children, caregivers and frontliners in refugee communities during COVID-19"

Mr Talat Mahmud, Programme Director, Play to Learn, Sesame Workshop, Bangladesh

"Sesame Workshop and BRAC Content Co-Creation for COVID-19 Response: Key Messages and Distribution Channels in Cox’s Bazar"

Ms Anita L’Enfant, eSafety Commissioner, Australia

"Keeping children safe online during COVID-19"

Ms Peta-Gaye Bookall, UNICEF Pacific Multi-Country Office

"Impact of COVID19 movement restrictions on child protection in the Pacific Region"

Mr Tata Sudrajat, Yayasan Sayangi Tunas Cili (partner of Save the Children Indonesia)

"Child Protection responses during COVID-19: Learning from Indonesia"

Ms Jessica Hampton, Education Advisor at ChildFund Australia and ARNEC Steering Committee Member moderated this webinar.

CLICK here for the presentation slides deck

CLICK here for the webinar recording on YouTube.

Related resources:

• COVID-19: an online safety kit for parents and carers by eSafety Commisioner 
• Parenting tips and activities (in multiple languages)
• Sesame Street #CaringforEachother  
• Different ways to wash your hands 

More webinars by ARNEC:

Webinar #1_Practical ECD Strategies for the most vulnerable young children and their families.  

Webinar #2_Caring for the caregivers 

Webinar #3_How young children cope with anxiety, fear, and stress  

Webinar #4_Distance learning approaches for young children 

• Recycle and Play

please visit: https://www.facebook.com/recycleandplay/ 

• Create, Play, Move and Learn - 30 day play activities programme

please visit: https://www.facebook.com/pg/CreatePlayMoveandLearn/posts/ 

Stay at home, play at home (also available in Tagalog/ Kannada/Georgian/French)

• Playright Children's Play Association

[Cantonese/ Mandarin] play activities at home 【家中繼續玩】

please visit: https://www.facebook.com/Playright-Childrens-Play-Association-139074302803304/ 

• Importance of Learning through Play - LEGO Foundation

please visit: https://www.legofoundation.com/en/learn-how/knowledge-base/what-we-mean-by-learning-through-play/ 

Explore the project, #storycity.  

• Play activities for 12 to 24 months by ZERO TO THREE

Please visit: https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/167-play-activities-for-12-to-24-months  

• Indoor play ideas to stimulate young children at home - UNICEF

please visit: https://www.unicef.org/parenting/coronavirus-covid-19-guide-parents/indoor-play-ideas-stimulate-young-children-home 

This webinar focuses on distance learning approaches for young children and their families and caregivers, particularly transforming the home as a safe learning space through online/digital and non-digital platforms.

A particular concern is responding to the needs of families and communities with limited or no internet connectivity, or who are not literate or deem themselves not competent to ‘teach’ their young children: how can they be empowered then to overcome barriers to learning in the home and supported with context-sensitive non-digital learning approaches?

Some of the key questions that will be answered in the webinar are:

• What is the overall impact of COVID-19 containment measures (e.g., lockdown measures, stay at home, school closures) on young children’s development especially in terms of early learning opportunities? How will the situation impact young children, both in the short and long-term?

• What guidance can be provided to parents and caregivers who may not be educated or literate to support distance learning of their young children? How can they be supported to engage their young children amidst the many pressures they are facing during this crisis?

The speakers and topics are found below:

Dr Venita Kaul, Ambedkar University, Delhi

--COVID-19’s impact on young children’s learning - short and long term.

Ms. Baela Raza Jamil, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) Centre for Education and Consciousness Education and Consciousness, Pakistan

-- Engaging children in play-based learning during COVID-19 pandemic

Dr. Alice Wong, OneSky for all children, Hong Kong, China

-- Online engagement and learning during COVID-19 and next steps: examples from China and Vietnam

Ms. Psyche Vetta Olayvar, UNICEF Philippines

-- Engaging Parents/Caregivers in Early Stimulation and Learning at Home: UNICEF - Govt of the Philippines Experience

Ms Jyoti Dhingra, ARNEC National Representative for India moderated this webinar. 

Click here for the presentation slides deck

Click here for the webinar recording

Additional resources : 

Safe to learn during COVID-19: Recommendations to prevent and respond to violence against children in learning environments 

Home- based activities and virtual field trips (includes learning platform and tools) 

More webinars by ARNEC:

Webinar #1: Practical ECD Strategies for the most vulnerable young children and their families. 

Webinar #2- Caring for the caregivers

Webinar #3_How young children cope with anxiety, fear, and stress