Covid Family Life Study

There is no question that though health workers have been in the frontline of dealing with Covid-19, all of us have been seeing action on the “Home Front” during the pandemic. Especially families, where parents have been managing the care and education of children while juggling the new demands of working from home and concerns for older relatives. The impact on families and on the physical and mental health of parents has been the source of much anecdotal comment and speculation.

The Impact of the Pandemic on Family Life Across Cultures is an international research study led by Dr. Anis Ben Brik, distinguished and acknowledged expert in Social Policy and Sustainable Development, LSE alumnus, now Associate Professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University College of Public Policy in Qatar explores the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on family life across cultures. Twenty-one researchers from 40 countries across five continents are participating in this study. Eighteen partners are also contributing to this work. The Focal Point on the Family, DISD/UNDESA is part of the project, sharing other participants’ vision and priority for the life and work of the home.

The aims of the study are wide-reaching and of great potential value to all families and agencies concerned with their thriving: to track the pattern of the symptoms, causes and risk factors of mental health in parents; to understand the experiences, coping skills and mechanisms of parents under pandemic conditions; to identify parents’ needs, and to use this evidence to inform the design of policy and support for families in the future. Such aims reveal a strong understanding and recognition of the foundational role of parents in providing secure, stable and healthy home environments for their children.  Focal Point on the Family, DISD, UNDESA acknowledges and supports this understanding and approach.

During the pandemic, we have returned to our homes for safety and support. There have been positive aspects to this; many children have benefited from more time with their parents and regular daily patterns of meal and bedtimes, but it has also been costly for families in terms of health, living conditions and resources.

The Covid Family Study survey invites parents to share their experiences to help provide support in the future. The questions are straightforward and the guide time to complete the survey is a 30 minutes. By receiving information across all national, cultural and economic contexts, both global and local insights will be generated. The investigating team will be able to use these responses to direct, design and deliver the best support services for every family, a cornerstone to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Covid Family Study: https://www.covidfamilystudy.org