What Issues are Families Facing In Our Community?

What is the problem?

Parents with young children face many difficulties in navigating early parenthood. New to Vancouver, parents are even more vulnerable because they are unaware of support services and family policies (1). The problem is that without this knowledge, parents feel isolated and lonely. Isolation is known to cause many harmful mental health outcomes for parents and children. Human connection and socialization are key parts of life and aid healthy development (1). Parents also feel isolated because they are in an unfamiliar place without guidance. This isolation and unfamiliar setting can cause parents to feel anxiety and fear about their community. Fear and anxiety cause parents to be hesitant in exploring and reaching out to support services. Some parents new to Vancouver are immigrants and struggle with language and literacy barriers. These parents feel even more isolated because they can't learn all societal policies and programs when they cannot understand the primary language. Although there are many areas in which families need help, the two most important issues affecting all early child-parent and vulnerable families are isolation and difficulty in accessing support services. (1)

Who does it affect?

The issues of isolation and lack of access to support services directly affect all new parents in Vancouver with young children, but mostly parents with children aged 0-3. This range is because children before age four usually live at home with one parent and do not attend full-time daycare or school (1). This period is the most challenging for Vancouver parents because one parent has to sacrifice work and income for the health and well-being of their child(ren). The types of parents impacted range from students living in basement suites and studio apartments to working-class, lower-middle-class families, two-parent, blended and even single-parent households. (1)

What are the causes? And How does it affect them? (and overall family)

Isolation and lack of services are among parents' most significant issues today. Vancouver society is vast, spread out, and isolating for parents (1). The large area also makes it hard to find the right support services. On top of lonely city life, the pandemic increased isolation and access to services to a new level. Playgrounds, schools, and support services were closed, forcing parents to be alone in their homes with their children. The socialization and learning places that used to assist parents are now unsafe. The saying, it takes a village to raise a child, is true; the pandemic has made it unsafe and impossible for parents to access services (1). Leaving them alone causes parents to feel overworked, burnt out, and vulnerable. Bringing a baby into the world is scary, and the need for support increases. Unfortunately, parents have nowhere to go because of restricted services and less contact with loved ones so that they can protect their vulnerable children from disease (1). Parents deal with frustration alone, making them feel incompetent. This isolation and cut-off access to support services seriously affect mental health and cause parents to feel increased heights of anxiety and even depression (4). When parents struggle with mental health, it harms their ability to nurture their baby in the best way. Because mental health is complicated, it may cause individuals to develop negative habits (4). These negative behaviours can negatively impact babies' development because they need continuous love to grow (3). Parents with anxiety will also be more hesitant to explore help and services to aid their well-being and their families. This anxiety causes parents to miss out on essential Covid services and support that may be accessible during this challenging time. Socialization with others is vital to development and helps children learn new language and social, cognitive and emotional skills (2). When families are in isolation, children have no choice but to accept the isolation because they dont have the power to make autonomous decisions. Covid babies are the ones who have been affected most by the pandemic, isolation and lack of services. Covid babies have interacted the least with humans because their health is vulnerable and must be kept from spreading disease. Isolation then causes covid babies to fall behind in their development because they lack the experience of outside relationships. This missed experience can make it harder for them to develop strong relationships in the future and may even cause children to feel anxious when meeting new people. All humans need support and connection! That is why the two issues of isolation and lack of access to resources have impacted families the most today during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. (1)

Check out our next post to see how WSFP addresses these issues!

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below!

References:

1. Alexander, A., & West Side Family Place WSFP. (n.d.). West Side Family Place. other. Retrieved April 2023, from audio1252567768-1.m4a. 

2. DiProperzio, L. (2022, September 23). What toddler social development looks like: Ages 1 and 4 . Parents. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/social/social-development-milestones-ages-1-to-4/  

3. Hamilton, D. (2012, February 21). Why babies need love. David R Hamilton PHD. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://drdavidhamilton.com/why-babies-need-love/ 

4. Novotney, A. (2019, May). The risks of social isolation. Monitor on Psychology. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/05/ce-corner-isolation#:~:text=%22Lacking%20encouragement%20from%20family%20or,also%20augment%20depression%20or%20anxiety.%22