Dr Joan van Niekerk Edith Kriel What is more Dangerous than Lockdown?
Greetings from South Africa • We would like this webinar to provide an opportunity for colleagues in Africa (and other regions) to post their comments and experiences relating to children and the COVID 19 pandemic in the questions side bar so that we can share experiences, challenges and ideas relating to solutions • This will enrich the content of the webinar!
Lockdown down • Announced on 23 rd March • Implemented on 28 th March Purpose • To contain the rapid escalation of Covid 19 infection to enable the preparation of medical facilities and resources for anticipated patients • To flatten the curve of infection
The “double whammy” • On 28 th March 2020 Moody’s international rating agency declared investment opportunities in South Africa as having “Junk status”. • For the past year South Africa’s economy has been in a recessionary period. • Slow growth, high unemployment. • This was an economic disaster – a severe blow to the economy that was already in crisis.
ot othe her r pre-Covid vid 19 19 fac actor tors • High levels of domestic violence and child abuse to the extend that pre-Covid 19 the President labelled this as a national crisis • Pre-existing health issues – high levels of HIV and AIDS (16% of population infected) - High levels of Tuberculosis - Health services limited and under pressure World Health Organisation “ the health of the most vulnerable people among us is a determining factor for the health of all of us.”
The e Lockdown down – how did life chang nge? e? • 5 levels – started at level 5 – with the most serious limitations on public freedom - Stay at home – strictly enforced by the army and police (feeling for many like the return of the apartheid management of “townships” Joyce Siwani – struggle veteran) - No outside exercise - Schools, gyms, restaurants, hotels, etc closed - Shops open – must have masks and observe social distancing - Shops only allowed to sell certain “essential goods”
▪ Only essential service providers allowed to travel to and from work ▪ Only manufacturers of food and essential provisions (eg medical supplies) were allowed to operate. ▪ Other people who did have work/jobs were not allowed to go to work ▪ For many this How did life change meant a collapse of business
The sale of alcohol and cigarettes was banned in theory – great But did not take into account the addictive nature of these substances and the fact that adults dealing with sudden withdrawal would be confined in their homes with their children/families.
Mes essages es from m government…. • Were sometimes conflicting • Were not clear as to the purpose of the lockdown – and repeated often enough or explained sufficiently – what does “flattening the curve” mean to a semi - literate population? • Did not take into account the country’s lack of preparedness • Did not take into account the circumstances of many communities
For example…… • Wash your hands with soap - How do I do this if I live in a poor and rural communities have no clean piped water • Stay in your home - What do you do if your home has no toilet and you have to use a communal toilet as in many informal settlements? • Wear a mask - Where can I get one – what kind of mask?
What changed for parents and caregivers • They are under considerable stress – anxious about their own health and the health of children • Unable in many instances to provide for their families as they had lost their jobs or would not be paid • As schools closed, they found themselves having to assume the role of teachers to prevent children falling behind at school. As many parents are semi-literate, this is a huge challenge. • Having to confine their children in small spaces
Wh What t cha hang nged ed for or pa parents ents • Unable to feed their families • Many were unable to clothe their families appropriately and a cold winter had started
Pandemics don’t heal div ivis isions – they reveal them (F (Frie iedman) Experiences of lock down were vastly different for different sectors of the population – the contrasts between the rich and the poor are extreme
Challenges for Child protection • Initially vetinerary services were regarded as essential – but not child protection services. • This brought NGO child protection services together to lobby for their inclusion in essential services to children during the lockdown.
• There was a dearth of CP services • The child protection lobby then worked with State and some St government to motivate for services and assist with NGO service ces crisis policies, such as developing standard operating procedures for managing child abuse. came to a • UNICEF played an active role in keeping lines of grin inding halt lt communication open. • Partnerships developed between government and NGOs.
But we are still ill strugg ggling wit ith state CP servic ices • For example: Safe care for abused mother and her children who were exposed to a serious domestic violence incident between their parents, fuelled by alcohol. • A failure to ensure that children attend therapy • A lack of acknowledgement of the contribution that NGOs working in child protection are making and no funding – with many NGO staff working on reduced salaries.
The CP sector had to assume new roles: : the provision of f food Many NGOs started to feed the hungry Government intervened, closed soup kitchens and NGO distribution, saying that all food provision had to be distributed through government. This was a total failure - They were unable to reach all who needed food - Food parcels contained items that required cooking but many families had no fuel (gas or electricity) - Levels of corruption relating to food parcels was high
1. Government was distributing the parcels under the banner of the ANC and not acknowledging the donors; 2. Some areas Government was only giving to ANC supporters; 3. Some unscrupulous ANC Councillors and government workers were selling the food parcels which were donated by South African individuals and corporations; 4. Food parcels were only going to South African Citizens and not to those resident in this nation; For example – a 5. Some desired items colleague in a rural town were being removed from food parcels by those noted (28 th May 2020) distributing them .
Issues sues re e foo ood • The result was - NGO’s ignored the regulation regarding the distribution of food - The government regulation was challenged in court by a group of NGOs and overturned.
The impact on children? Little was known how children are experiencing the lock down – however Childline South Africa and an NGO called Media Monitoring Africa have begun processes of child consultation.
“ The real crisis of this current pandemic is not necessarily the next six months. It really is: What are we going to do with the social and emotional toll that this is having on individuals and families, who will remain the most marginalized for the next six decades?” Dr Bruce Perry
When they announced I think they should check on So many people are that there was to be a children more regularly, and make lockdown, I freaked out dying and getting sure that when they talk to children, because I felt like it was infected with the virus, to allow children to give more the end of the world and i worry that everyone honest answers, because most we're all gonna die. is going to die (5-10) children are hurt and prefer to Which is ironic since I'm bottle up their emotions and so they home ALL day everyday but now I feel trapped should be free to speak because government should not inside my house. Perhaps we do not know if they are being allow the selling of I'm claustrophobic? (18) abused or if everything is okay at alcohol because I think it home or not or how they are is a bad idea as people feeling. they should communicate I worry about my make bad choices when more with the children and visit mom , she is in they are drunk (10-12) them more often (10-12) hospital (5-10). What do our children say? Thanks to: Childline South Africa for the quotations
What happens in your brain when things What happens in our brain during are going well: all the parts of their brain times of extreme stress and trauma: are ‘online’ and working together focus is on survival, and the thinking brain goes ‘offline’ Thinking Thinking Feeling Feeling Regulation Regulation Survival Survival Dr Bruce Perry
Trauma / distress is ‘stored’ in our H ead, H eart and H ands • What is the child thinking, feeling and experiencing / sensing internally? • With this understanding what can I do to respond to the child’s head, heart and ‘hands’ HHH Tip ip 1: you cant talk children out of fear 2: behaviour is biological
How to bring children’s levels of distress (physiological arousal) down It all starts with… CONNECTION & REGULATION
5 Love languages What about hugs?
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