Global COVID-19 childhood disability data coordination: A collaborative initiative of the International Alliance of Academies of Childhood Disability.

PURPOSE: The International Alliance of Academies of Childhood Disability created a COVID-19 Task Force with the goal of understanding the global impact of COVID-19 on children with disabilities and their families. The aim of this paper is to synthesize existing evidence describing the impact of COVID-19 on people with disabilities, derived from surveys conducted across the globe. METHODS: A descriptive environmental scan of surveys was conducted. From June to November 2020, a global call for surveys addressing the impact of COVID-19 on disability was launched. To identify gaps and overlaps, the content of the surveys was compared to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. RESULTS: Forty-nine surveys, involving information from more than 17,230 participants around the world were collected. Overall, surveys identified that COVID-19 has negatively impacted several areas of functioning - including mental health, and human rights of people with disabilities and their families worldwide. CONCLUSION: Globally, the surveys highlight that impact of COVID-19 on mental health of people with disabilities, caregivers, and professionals continues to be a major issue. Rapid dissemination of collected information is essential for ameliorating the impact of COVID-19 across the globe.

Online listening and sharing sessions as a tool to aid rapid international knowledge transfer during the Covid-19 pandemic

285 Table 1Question-Satisfaction with:Responses (multiple choice-Excellent, Satisfactory, Neutral, Bit disappointing, Poor) Session format Excellent(71%) Satisfactory(24%) Neutral(5%) Overall content Excellent(71%) Satisfactory 24%) Neutral(5%) Content relevance of (5=most relevant=1 least) 5(57%) 4(29%) 3(5%) 3(5%) 1(5%) ConclusionsListening and Sharing sessions provided a useful format to rapidly share issues, ideas, and good practice across disciplines and around the globe. This format proved easy for all to engage with and may be useful as a future tool for rapid communication and sharing of knowledge, experience, and skills. Listening and Sharing sessions may be particularly useful where acquisition and transfer of knowledge is time critical. The Global Task Force was very active during the first phase of the pandemic but not during the second wave which may be an indication of people being better prepared.