The well-being of Rohingya children in Rohingya camps of Bangladesh during the Covid 19 pandemic: a qualitative exploration

Covid-19 infection is an additional burden to the life of the Rohingya children living in cramped camps of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. BRAC has introduced Humanitarian Play Lab (HPL) for children's playful learning in the camps since 2017. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the modality was changed from face-face interactions to a telecommunication model. This qualitative research aims to understand caregivers' and frontline providers' practices and perceptions about children's well-being during the pandemic. Interviews were conducted with purposively selected parents and frontline providers through telephone. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed. The lockdown directly and indirectly affected children's mental and physical well-being. A shared parenting role was observed in child education and learning. Parents widely accepted tele-communication services for children as it was considered important for continuing children's wellbeing and learning. This research highlights the relevance and timeliness of utilising telecommunications services by parents for children's psychosocial health and playful learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Early Child Development & Care is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

COVID-19-related issues on tele-counseling helpline in Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a brief description of COVID-19-related issues presented by callers to a tele-counseling helpline in Bangladesh. METHOD: Counselors who receive calls write brief descriptions of each call. These descriptions were coded and analyzed. RESULTS: Eighty-six percent of callers displayed anxiety and/or sleeplessness; these callers also displayed a range of issues including family/interpersonal problems, financial difficulties, physical health concerns, mental illness, and difficulty managing quarantine. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate the mental health challenges faced in Bangladesh due to lockdown and can inform future interventions.