COVID-19: Effects of the Shutdown on Children and Families in Child and Youth Care Services in Germany

In summary, all the challenges associated with the pandemic lead to higher levels of stress for everybody and we can see that conflicts, both amongst young people and between young people and adults, escalate more quickly. In the short-term, all parties involved try to manage within their capabilities. The long-term effects remain to be seen. While we hope that some of the positive developments and experiences during this pandemic will contribute to resilience and long-term growth for the young people, and perhaps even to the well being of our organization, the reality is that some things may have lasting impacts that are less positive. We don’t really know what the consequences of family separation will be; we don’t know how the limited opportunities to exercise autonomy will impact young people beyond the short-term; and we also don’t know the extent to which some of the challenges associated with the young people’s schooling may create gaps and greater challenges in the months and years ahead. For right now, everybody endeavors to make the best of the situation and to stick it out together.