How can early childhood education and care support families and prevent parental burnout during the COVID-19 crisis in Finland?

Abstract

We examined how early childhood education and care (ECEC) centers supported families during the Covid-19 lockdown and whether the extent and type of support were associated with parental burnout. An online survey was filled out by 521 Finnish parents (88% mothers), and the data were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U-test and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). A total of 81% of the parents were contacted by ECEC personnel during lockdown, and 19% were not contacted at all, although 9% would have wished for contact. The support consisted mainly of guidance for the child’s daily activities and communication via letters and greetings. Out of the parents, 33% found the support helpful, 36% sometimes helpful, and 31% nonhelpful. The more support the parents received, the less burned out they were. Particularly, food aid and advice to contact the ECEC centers, if needed, were negatively connected to parental burnout.