Peer-reviewed article
Reorienting Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kenya: A Review
Constance Sibongile Shumba, Rachel Kimani, Sheila Shaibu, Gladys Mbuthia, Rose Maina et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This review examines how the COVID-19 pandemic affects nurturing care for children from birth to age four in Kenya, where many children already lack adequate care. The pandemic impacts children through five domains: direct health effects, disrupted health and nutrition systems, economic hardship, weakened social and child protection, and reduced early learning opportunities. The authors recommend policy responses including cash transfers for vulnerable families and strengthening community-based care platforms to protect child development during crises.
Key points
- Millions of Kenyan children have limited access to nurturing care even before COVID-19
- COVID-19 impacts fall into five domains: direct health, health and nutrition systems, economic protection, social and child protection, and child development and early learning
- Vulnerable children are expected to bear the biggest burden of pandemic effects
- Proposed strategies include cash transfers, essential supplies for vulnerable households, and strengthened community-based platforms for nurturing care
- Further research is needed on children's ability to receive nurturing care during pandemics
Limitations
This is a literature review drawing on evidence from previous pandemics and emerging COVID-19 evidence rather than presenting original empirical data from Kenya. The review does not provide specific data on the prevalence of impacts or the effectiveness of proposed interventions.
Abstract
In Kenya, millions of children have limited access to nurturing care. With the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it is anticipated that vulnerable children will bear the biggest brunt of the direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic. This review aimed to deepen understanding of the effects of COVID-19 on nurturing care from conception to four years of age, a period where the care of children is often delivered through caregivers or other informal platforms. The review has drawn upon the empirical evidence from previous pandemics and epidemics, and anecdotal and emerging evidence from the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Multifactorial impacts fall into five key domains: direct health; health and nutrition systems; economic protection; social and child protection; and child development and early learning. The review proposes program and policy strategies to guide the reorientation of nurturing care, prevent the detrimental effects associated with deteriorating nurturing care environments, and support the optimal development of the youngest and most vulnerable children. These include the provision of cash transfers and essential supplies for vulnerable households and strengthening of community-based platforms for nurturing care. Further research on COVID-19 and the ability of children's ecology to provide nurturing care is needed, as is further testing of new ideas.