Evidence Based Resources for Families about Covid-19

Navigating the Resources regarding Covid-19 can be overwhelming for families. Especially those families who have had a sick or preterm child.

The following is a list compiled by researchers from the CRE in Newborn Medicine, of links to evidence-based resources for families who are understandably worried and seeking information. It is important to note that local health advice is going to be most relevant to readers’ individual situations.

Official government advice:

Victorian Dept Health Human Services  - there are also translated resources for people who speak languages other than English. Please note, this information is Victoria specific – those from other states should follow local state health department rules.

Australian Health Department 

Advice for families:

Raising Children Network Covid-19 Guide  - while there is a lot of information here, it is very simply written and clear. There is specific information about communicating with children, hand hygiene and links to other general hygiene content

The Royal Childrens Hospital Covid-19 Information Page- There are several clear, easy to follow explanations that explain Covid-19 and its transmission.

It includes a lot of resources for how parents respond to children's anxiety and worry, and they a frequently asked questions section that covers a lot of questions that families may have. There are also good links to other resources should parents still have questions.

RCH Facebook Page - this links to the content found on the RCH website so if families are on this platform, it is worth following their page.

The following resources regarding maintaining good emotional wellbeing during this period may also be of interest and useful to families to view and decide if they are appropriate to share with their own children:

Phoenix Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health tip-sheet  

Phoenix Centre Mental Health Webinar about Covid-19

UNICEF: Protecting teenagers Mental Health During Covid-19

Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus – A lovely graphic in gentle language explaining the current situation to children. There are links on this page to view the comic in Chinese and Spanish.

We hope that families find these resources helpful in assisting their family to stay healthy and stop the spread of Covid-19 at this time.

Image Source: Australian Health Department