New report reveals children and families struggling during COVID-19 and recommends ways to respond

Maine performed relatively well compared to other states on issues of access to health care, food security, housing stability, and mental health, according to Kids, Families and COVID-19: Pandemic Pain Points and the Urgent Need to Respond , a 50-state report of recent household data developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation analyzing how families are faring during the COVID-19 crisis.

This KIDS COUNT report examined data from weekly surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau that demonstrate how families across the country are challenged to meet basic needs during this global public health crisis while managing school, work and mental health. The Foundation finds the concurrent health and economic crises are exacerbating trends that show vulnerable families are unable to fulfill basic needs.

In assessing food security, the ability to make rent or mortgage payments, health insurance status and mental health concerns, the Foundation identified four pain points for children and families that require immediate action for relief and an opportunity to build a more equitable future. Key findings include:

Additionally, in a survey conducted by Washington University in St. Louis, a third of those with children reported they are less likely to return to work because they lack child care (32%). Without child care, an enormous portion of the nation’s workforce could be sidelined from being able to support their families, which could hold the country back from returning to full economic strength.

The report recommends that federal and state lawmakers provide relief grants to ensure center- and home-based child care providers are able to survive the pandemic. Lawmakers should also work to increase access to high-quality and affordable care for families, and improve wages and working conditions for the child care workforce.

The report shows how urgent state and federal intervention is to the health and well-being of families with children. In Maine, the worst effects of food insecurity were mitigated by the robust response of the already existing statewide network of food pantries. The state also took action to provide substantial financial support to schools in reopening safely, and ensured funds were available to provide needed housing assistance.

While the percentages of families experiencing hardship in Maine appear relatively low compared to other states and the national average, they still represent significant numbers of children and parents in our communities who are struggling most during this crisis. The Maine Children's Alliance urges policymakers to prioritize substantial additional federal funding necessary to mitigate the worst-case scenarios of hardship still being caused by the pandemic.

In closing, the Annie E. Casey Foundation calls upon policymakers and child advocates to unite across differences and put a COVID-19 response at the top of 2021 agendas to ensure that children have what they need to survive and thrive. In an adequate response, decisionmakers should:

“America’s children are in crisis,” said Annie E. Casey Foundation President and CEO Lisa Hamilton. “All across the country, families with children are struggling to overcome an unprecedented convergence of emergencies. If we don't work together to address this crisis equitably in terms of both short-term relief and long-term recovery, an entire generation of children will face long-term effects.”