Advice for parents and Carers during Covid-19

Resources to help support parents and other Carers during Covid-19.

If you are struggling to manage work and caring, discuss options with your manager as soon as possible. It may be possible to take leave (annual, sick, unpaid etc) or to get some extra support at work such as re-allocating some tasks to other colleagues, cancelling a class, having a GTA support teaching, or other flexible working arrangements. Leaders, check in with your staff. 

The Ministry of Health's website on Covid-19 has regularly updated advice on a range of topics. Below are links to some of them.

Visit The Ministry of Health Website on Covid-19 website

Taking care of children

Ministry of Health advice regarding children or young people in your life who experience distress. As a trusted adult, you can help reassure and educate them about COVID-19 – it can be good to talk to them now, so they can understand the illness and be reassured.

Visit The Ministry of Health Wellbeing Taking Care of Children information

See also Resources to explain Covid-19 to children: Kidshealth NZ

Other helpful Ministry of Health resources:

Maternal Health

A series of interviews from Women's Health Action, talking with experts about obstetric care, ultrasounds, breastfeeding support during Covid-19.

Harvard University – Balancing Work and Home

The Harvard Gazette spoke with Nancy Costikyan, director of the Office of Work/Life at Harvard, to learn some strategies for being productive, adjusting expectations, and staying healthy in mind and body while honouring the call to self-quarantine. The Harvard Gazette 30 March 2020.

Read If you remain mostly upright, you are doing well enough

Carers

Carers NZ, IHC, and others have partnered to assist carers and people living alone through COVID-19.

Visit Carers New Zealand website

Opinion pieces by some of our researchers

Coping with challenging child behaviour during quarantine

Dr Melanie Woodfield and Dr Hiran Thabrew comment on what abnormal or challenging behaviour parents and caregivers might face from their children under the stressful conditions of lockdown, and the best way to handle them.

Read Coping with challenging child behaviour during quarantine

Surviving lockdown with your children

Child development expert Annette Henderson has some tips for working parents to cope at home while caring for school-age children.

Read Surviving lockdown with young children

Helping older relatives and neighbours

Auckland gerontologist Professor Ngaire Kerse is the Joyce Cook Chair in Ageing Well at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. Here, she shares her thoughts on how to help our older relatives and neighbours feel less isolated during the Covid-19 crisis.

Read Dont be a stranger on your street

A call for manaakitanga in a time of isolation

There's a distinction between social isolation and loneliness writes professor of gerontology, Vanessa Burholt. The key is to create intergenerational connections during this time of physical isolation.

Read A call for manaakitanga in a time of isolation

How to talk to children about COVID-19

As schools close, children may feel worried. Carol Mutch gives five simple steps for parents and carers to follow to ensure they don’t increase their anxiety.

Read Talking to children about covid19

Don’t let hope be a casualty of the virus

Imagining our lives will get better again is part of the healing process as a nation, writes Peter
O'Connor. Playfulness and creativity will help.

Read Dont let hope be casualty of virus

Love in the time of Covid-19

David Mayeda and Ciara Cremin examine the dilemma of maintaining self-esteem, identity and – most importantly – aroha in a time of self-isolation.

Read Love in the time of COVID-19

How to take the anxiety out of the return to school