California MAP* to Inclusion and Belonging Newsletter *Making Access Possible | March 2020
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Part I: Taking Care of the Children - Six Sets of Resources
The world has changed dramatically since the beginning of March. Unprecedented event cancellations, school closures, travel restrictions, social distancing, and disruptions in daily routines have all become cause for uncertainty and anxiety. We are in a state of emergency and our children are feeling it too. Now is the time to do our best to model self-regulation and support each other and our children as we navigate this crisis. We are all in this together.
The MAP* to Inclusion and Belonging Project… Making Access Possible aria-hidden="true" Team that includes our funder, the California Department of Education-Early Learning and Care Division, has taken action to gather helpful information and resources to support early learning and care providers and families during this crisis with particular emphasis on the specific needs of children with disabilities.
On this web page you’ll find links to:
1. Official Websites for Coronavirus Information
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is lead state department in coordinating and monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California. The latest Press Releases and Guidance Documents will help you stay up to date what’s happening in California. The California Department of Education is working closely with agency partners and posting directives specific to child care providers and schools and other resources. The Center for Disease Control is the “go to” website for all federal guidance including for school settings and administrators. The World Health Organization is monitoring what’s happening in the world with the virus. See links to all of this information here.
California Department of Education Coronavirus (COVID-19) aria-hidden="true"
The California Department of Education (CDE) is monitoring the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and working closely with agency partners. Directives specific to child care providers and school are found at the CDE website. Local educational agencies (LEAs) are encouraged to follow California Department of Public Health recommendations. The This website also contains directives specific to child care providers and schools.
California Department of Public Health (CDPH) aria-hidden="true"
CDPH is the lead department coordinating efforts related to the Coronavirus in California. Check for the latest News Releases and find Guidance Documents specific to your situation in the links below. They are updated regularly so check often.
- CDPH News Releases 2020 aria-hidden="true"
- Guidance documents: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) aria-hidden="true"
Center for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus (COVID-19) aria-hidden="true"
The CDC has the latest comprehensive information about the status of the Coronavirus and information to support families, child care providers and schools in prevention efforts. Here are the most relevant web pages that are updated regularly.
- Guidance for School Settings aria-hidden="true"
- Interim Guidance for Administrators of US K-12 Schools and Childcare Programs March 13, 2020: Plan, Prepare, and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) aria-hidden="true"
- Resources for Home aria-hidden="true"
World Health Organization: Coronavirus aria-hidden="true"
On this website you can find information and guidance from WHO regarding the current outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that was first reported from Wuhan, China, on 31 December 2019. Please visit this page for daily updates.
2. Information Specific to Children and Adults with Disabilities
Children and adults with disabilities as well as senior citizens may be a particular risk for the Coronavirus (COVID-19). In planning for extended isolation the unique needs of children and adults with disabilities as well as seniors must be considered. Find resources and articles that may help with those considerations here.
What Do Older Adults and People with Disabilities Need to Know about the Coronavirus? Administration for Community Living aria-hidden="true"
Early data suggest older people are twice as likely to have serious COVID-19 illness. This may be because immune systems change with age, making it harder to fight off diseases and infection. Older adults also are more likely to have underlying health conditions that make it harder to cope with and recover from illness. In addition, people of all ages, with or without disabilities, seem to be at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19 if they have serious chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. This website, updated regularly, provides guidance for people at higher risk for getting the virus, encourages reference to local authorities and provides a state by state guide to coronavirus (COVID-19) resources. The information on the page is also available in Spanish (DOCX) aria-hidden="true".
Department of Developmental Services Coronavirus (COVID-19) aria-hidden="true"
This website provides directives regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) to programs and providers of services to children and adults with developmental disabilities.
Disability Rights California aria-hidden="true"
The information related to Coronavirus on this web page is presented in an easy to read question and answer format. The questions are relevant to the care, education and accessibility rights of children and adults with disabilities.
Early Childhood Training and Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) Coronavirus Disease aria-hidden="true"
This website provides federal resources related to managing the coronavirus at schools including:
Five Things to Know About Coronavirus and People with Disabilities aria-hidden="true"
Forbes | Mar 8, 2020The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has everyone spooked, and hopefully, taking steps to control the outbreak and prepare to get through whatever may come of it. But one group faces additional risks and consequences, as well as anxieties: people with disabilities and or chronic illnesses. The article discusses five points to keep in mind about how the coronavirus outbreak affects disabled people and a link to a video in American Sign Language What You Need to Know About Coronavirus aria-hidden="true"
Understood: Coronavirus: Latest and Tips aria-hidden="true"
The coronavirus impacts everyone. But it creates added challenges for some people. That includes kids and adults with learning differences or disabilities.
We’ve created this resource to make the health crisis easier to manage. There are tools and information to help at home, at school, and at work. We’ll be providing updates on issues that impact learning, special education, talking with kids, and the workplace.
What You'll Learn
- How to Talk About Coronavirus With Kids aria-hidden="true"
- School Closings and Special Education aria-hidden="true"
- Activities to Keep Kids Busy at Home aria-hidden="true"
- Disability Issues at Work aria-hidden="true"
Autism Speaks: How to Handle School Closures and Services for Your Child aria-hidden="true"
This website provides helpful of advice for families of children with autism in managing the coronavirus emergency.
My coronavirus prep includes protecting my disabled child: Coronavirus planning is more difficult for families with disabled children aria-hidden="true"
Washington Post | Mar 3, 2020“I’m the father of an autistic boy with Down syndrome. While he is not medically fragile, his diet is specific enough to the extent we can’t just easily roll with the societal disruptions that coronavirus brings and expect him to cope in the same way a neurotypical kid does. So, I went to Costco.” This story about the importance of being prepared with whatever you may need to meet the very specific diet and routine needs of your child with disabilities.
Links to Local Organizations That Support Children with and without Disabilities: County Specific Resources on MAP aria-hidden="true"
To find out what local organizations are doing to mitigate the spread of coronavirus and support families in need of child care or meals because of school closures check out the links to key organizations in your county that are found on MAP’s County Specific Resource page (link to page). For example, many Child Care Resource and Referral organizations are offering creative ways to support families who need child care; County Offices of Education can give you the latest information about what’s happening with the Coronavirus in local schools; some local First 5 organizations are providing resources and ideas about how to keep young children safe, engaged and active; some Early Start Family Resource Centers have information and resources helpful to supporting children with disabilities. Just click on your county to explore resources available from the various organizations.
3. Resources for Families
Families are coping with school shut downs and trying to protect their family by following preventive directives like handwashing and social isolation. Talking to their children about Cononavirus (COVID-19) in age appropriate and reassuring ways may also be a challenge. In this area of the web page you’ll find the reliable information and tools to help ease concerns and take care of children.
Information for Families: Healthy Children.Org: Coronavirus aria-hidden="true"
This website sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics describes the virus, symptoms, those at most risk, protecting your family, preparing for school or child care closings and more. It is family friendly and updated regularly.
National Traumatic Stress Network: Parent-Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 aria-hidden="true"
Provides information for parents and caregivers about infectious disease outbreaks in your community. Knowing important information about the outbreak and learning how to be prepared can reduce stress and help calm likely anxieties. This resource will help parents and caregivers think about how an infectious disease outbreak might affect their family— both physically and emotionally—and what they can do to help their family cope. Tip sheets also available in Spanish aria-hidden="true" and Chinese aria-hidden="true"
Talking to Children About the Coronavirus, Child Mind aria-hidden="true"
News of the coronavirus COVID-19 is everywhere, from the front page of all the papers to the playground at school. Many parents are wondering how to bring up the epidemic in a way that will be reassuring and not make kids more worried than they already may be. Here is some advice from the experts at the Child Mind Institute. Read the article, also in Spanish aria-hidden="true", and watch the video.
PBS Kids How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus (and videos to help!) aria-hidden="true"
Earlier this week, I overheard my kids engaged in a round of “I heard” and “Did you know?” while they were getting ready for bed.
“I heard that Margaret’s dad has it,” said my six-year-old.
“Did you know that it’s the worst sickness ever?” added my eight-year-old.
Neither statement is accurate, but they were revealing: I had thought my initial conversations with my kids about COVID-19 had been good enough. But with adults, kids at school and the news all hyper-focused on this coronavirus outbreak, my reassuring voice needed to be a little louder.
This article goes on to explain how correcting these inaccuracies and providing age appropriate facts was the first priority for the author of this article, but then she goes on to assure her kids that they are safe and gave them ideas on what they could do to help out in stopping the spread of the virus by describing germ busting habits. She also provides links to helpful episodes of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Sesame Street and Curious George that demonstrate strategies and concepts.
Zero to Three-Tips for Families Talking to Children About the Coronavirus aria-hidden="true"
The following resources offer tips for families who might want to talk about the Coronavirus with young children.
4. Resources Created for Kids to Explain the Coronavirus
Tools for explaining the Coronavirus in easy to understand ways for different age groups are gathered here. Included are a videos for school age kids, a downloadable book in several languages for children under 5, a downloadable comic in multiple languages for school age kids and an online social story for younger kids. Find those here.
Coronavirus Video for Kids and Others who want a simple friendly explanation and guidance! (Video) aria-hidden="true" BrainPop! | Length: 4:11 minutes
It can be scary to hear about a disease outbreak, but learning the facts can help ease your mind. A new coronavirus—a type of virus named for its crown-like shape—emerged in Wuhan, China in 2019, and then spread to people around the world. While the most severe cases often dominate the headlines, they’re not the whole story. Most coronavirus cases have been mild, and healthy bodies can fight off the infection on their own. Find out more about how viruses work, and the best ways to prevent them from infecting more people. Viruses can’t spread without our help, so click play to learn how not to help them!
Hello My Name is Coronavirus! aria-hidden="true"
A free children’s book about coronavirus that can be downloaded from the Spanish speaking author at Manuela Molina aria-hidden="true". This is a fun way to explain Coronavirus to young children and encourage preventive habits! The book is available in 10 different languages.
Just For Kids, A Comic Exploring the Corona Virus aria-hidden="true"
NPR | Feb 28, 2020Kids, this comic is for you. It's based on a radio story that NPR education reporter Cory Turner did. He asked some experts what kids might want to know about the new coronavirus discovered in China.
To make this comic, we've used his interviews with Tara Powell at the University of Illinois School of Social Work aria-hidden="true", Joy Osofsky at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans aria-hidden="true" and Krystal Lewis at the National Institute of Mental Health aria-hidden="true". The Comic has traveled around the world and has been translated into Braille and Spanish. It’s free and downloadable.
- Chinese translation of the comic aria-hidden="true"
- Spanish translation of the comic (page also includes links to translations in other languages) aria-hidden="true".
An Online Social Story: My Coronavirus Social Story aria-hidden="true"
This short online picture book, geared toward preschoolers, tells the story of the Coronavirus.
5. Webinars for Early Childhood Educators on Managing Infectious Disease
Early care and education providers can benefit from recent webinars that address the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Early Childhood Investigations is hosting one on March 20. The American Academy of Pediatrics produced a one hour webinar and provided additional professional development resources last week. Head Start also has an educational webinar available with resources.
Bracing for Covid19: What Early Childhood Programs Need to Know and Consider Now (Webinar) aria-hidden="true" Early Childhood Investigations | Mar 20, 2020
Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care Settings, Healthy Futures, American Academy of Pediatrics (Webinar) aria-hidden="true"
This engaging webinar provides reasonable, easy to implement strategies for managing infectious diseases and specifically refers to the unique characteristics of the Coronavirus. It also describes two new tools available for child care health consultants, early learning program directors, health managers, health care professionals and others to use to help meet national early education & child care training requirements for managing infectious diseases. Susan Aronson, MD, FAAP, pediatrician and co-editor of Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools, A Quick Reference Guide, 5th edition.
Head Start: ECLKC: Managing Infections Disease, March 13, 2020: Watch the Video and Access the Resources aria-hidden="true"
In this 13 minute video, Dr. Bergeron and Dr. Marco Beltran, health lead at the Office of Head Start, discuss strategies for managing infectious disease. Head Start programs can follow guidance issued by local authorities and use federal guidance to support their decision-making. Dr. B shares a love note for Head Start staff and points out useful existing resources and advice for programs.
6. Taking Care Of Yourself!
Staying calm in this time of uncertainty is no easy task, but with some strategies to focus on what we can control and what we can be thankful for may help in regulating our own emotions so that we can help to calm those around us. This set of resources gives you ideas and resources that may help as we navigate this crisis!
Protecting Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty aria-hidden="true"
Human beings like certainty. We are hard-wired to want to know what is happening when and to notice things that feel threatening to us. When things feel uncertain or when we don’t generally feel safe, it’s normal to feel stressed. This very reaction, while there to protect us, can cause all sorts of havoc when there is a sense of uncertainty and conflicting information around us.
How to Prepare for Extended School Closing and Not Lose Your Mind aria-hidden="true"
If you're the parent of a school-aged child, you've almost certainly become aware that the chance of your child's school closing for an extended amount of time is very real. Quite possibly your local school has already been shut down. This article gives some great ideas including routines and activities to help keep everyone happier during this unexpected time at home!
How to Thrive When You Are Protecting the Vulnerable in Quarantine aria-hidden="true"
This facebook post by Melissa Ker Winchell, the mother a child that was in quarantine for a year, shares what she learned about making the most of time in quarantine
What to do in a Pandemic? Art by Ricardo Levins Morales Art Studio aria-hidden="true"
This beautiful artwork was posted on Facebook and gave me feeling of calm when I saw them. These 10 art prints illustrate 10 things you should do in a pandemic. The prints are available free for download at the link above. They are also available as a poster for a fee.
Direct questions or comments about this newsletter to map@wested.org
In this issue:
- Official Coronavirus Websites
- Information Specific to Children and Adults with Disabilities
- Resources for Families
- Resources Created for Kids to Explain the Coronavirus
- Webinars for Early Childhood Educators on Managing Infectious Disease
- Taking Care Of Yourself!
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