Young children are especially vulnerable to times of shock, upheaval and adversity. COVID-19 is likely to be affecting all domains of nurturing care, with significant consequences for early childhood development. Better understanding of the impact of the pandemic on care for young children living in Nairobi slums is vital to mitigating negative consequences and ensuring the design and implementation of effective interventions to improve life chances for these children.

Through a series of computer assisted telephone interview surveys, the NECS COVID Impacts tracker (NECS-cit) sub-study is examining: how nurturing care for preschool-age children has changed over the course of the pandemic; how COVID-19 is influencing the health, nutrition and early development of these children; and parental/carer perceptions of the pandemic and its impact on children and their care.

The research focuses on Kibera, Kawangware and Mukuru-Viwandani, settings that are collectively typical of larger, longer established slums across Nairobi. All three slums are characterised by high levels of poverty, poor sanitation, inadequate shelter, poor infrastructure, high levels of insecurity and low rates of formal employment, which may have an impact on childcare options.

Through documenting and tracking the childcare situation in these Nairobi slums, as well as parental/carer perceptions, the research will help inform the design and rollout of both epidemic control initiatives and those supporting post-COVID-19 recovery.