Black Parents and Their Babies: The Dual Pandemic of Racism and COVID-19, 2019–2022

• In Event: Risk and Resilience in Early Childhood During the COVID-19 Pandemic: From a Social Equity Perspective

Abstract

This report utilizes data from a large, national, and longitudinal study with online surveys to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and their families with special attention to Black families with babies. The report provides a descriptive analysis of 9,991 families that focuses specifically on their needs, health-promoting behaviors, and well-being of children and their families. Applying the 3P Framework of protecting, promoting, and preserving the well-being of Black families and babies, we identify three core findings: psychological trauma continues to afflict Black families and their babies; Black families’ economic security improved; and Black families continue to prioritize their health and the well-being of their children during the pandemic. The support for our findings is derived from seven categories of examination: racism and discrimination, material hardship, economic security, parents’ and babies’ health and well-being, early care and education, and racial-ethnic identity. For example, sixty-five percent of Black parents experienced a racial slur prior to the pandemic, compared with 37% and 32% in March 2021 and 2022, respectively (see Figure 1, Panel A). Moreover, the proportion of Black families that reported experience with financial strain remained relatively consistent over the course of the pandemic (see Figure 1, Panel B). Finally, a large number Black families that live below or near the poverty line, as well as Black middle-income families, reported a missed well-baby visit during the pandemic (see Table 1). As Black families with babies continue to navigate the dual pandemic of racism and COVID-19, we recommend immediate prioritized actions along the following 3P dimensions: Protect Black babies and their families from racism, discrimination, and material hardship. Promote economic security, along with mobility and access to high-quality and affirming health and early learning environments for Black families and their babies.
Preserve Black children’s cultural identity and positive sense of self amid continued racial stress and trauma in their daily lives—attributed to ongoing discrimination and biases—as a necessary developmental outcome.

Authors

• B. Aspacia Stafford, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Presenting Author

• Iheoma U. Iruka, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Jacqueline P. Sims, Boston University

• Sharron Hunter-Rainey, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill