Back in August, as part of the statewide project, Know and Grow Oklahoma: Building Resilient Children, Families & Communities, the Potts Family Foundation awarded contracts to 15 communities to survey diverse groups of citizens – including families, extended family members, caregivers and others – who touch the lives of infants and toddlers born from 2019 through May 2023 and their families.
Nationally, evidence indicates families with children born, adopted or fostered during and around the time of the pandemic had very different experiences; this project will give us insight about local, Oklahoma families, some of whose children may be showing signs of developmental delays as a result of societal changes and protocols implemented during this time.
The results of the surveys will inform the Know and Grow Oklahoma project going forward as Family Resource Centers are introduced into communities and the Early Relational Health Corps begins efforts to educate Oklahomans about the benefits of early, healthy relationships between parents/caregivers and their infants.
The Oklahoma State University Center for Family Resilience is analyzing the data collected and will present its findings at a conference later this month. Stay tuned to be among the first to learn how our Oklahoma children and families are post-pandemic and how the Know and Grow Oklahoma team can support them.