This report draws on data from the Rapid Assessment of Pandemic Impact on Development-Early Childhood (RAPID-EC) survey to present key findings and recommendations about the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on 782 Black and Black/multiracial families with babies (i.e., infants and toddlers, birth to age 3) in the United States. The RAPID-EC is an early childhood family well-being survey designed to gather essential information in a continuous manner regarding the needs, health-promoting behaviors, and well-being of children and their families during the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. RAPID-EC has partnered with researchers and institutions across the country including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Data for this report were collected by the RAPID-EC team at Stanford University (formerly at the University of Oregon) between April 2020 and February 2022.

The primary focus of this report is Black families with babies. This report includes information about the full sample of 9,991 RAPID-EC families with babies to provide broader context for the experiences of Black families. Throughout this report we use the terms “babies,” “infants,” “toddlers,” and “young children” interchangeably, but also recognize there are varying developmental stages and milestones for each. A majority of families in the full RAPID-EC sample identify as White (72%), with smaller proportions of Black (8%), multiracial (5%), Asian (5%), and American Indian/ Alaska Native (3%) families. Six percent of families identify as an “other” racial group. Eight percent of the sample identify as first-generation immigrants, born outside of the U.S., and approximately 16% are Latine. Nearly all families (96%) report English as their primary language. Survey participants report an average household income of $91,417, which is significantly higher than the U.S. median household income of $67,521 for the year 2020.

Black families in this sample report an average household income of $56,723, higher than the 2020 median household income of $45,870 for Black families in the U.S. Nearly all Black families (98%) in the sample report English as their primary language. Seven percent identify as first-generation immigrants born outside of the U.S., and 11% identify as Latine.

Analyses examined Black families by income level. We performed descriptive analyses of the RAPID-EC data with special attention to Black families with babies. Previous analyses indicate that families with low incomes were more likely to feel the devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, we examined the data by families’ income level. Specifically, we identified whether families were below/near poverty (families with incomes that were less than 200% of the federal poverty threshold) or middle-income (families with incomes that were above 200% of the federal poverty threshold). These comparisons allowed us to determine if differential experiences during the pandemic exist based on family income level.

Findings: This report demonstrates that two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, Black families and their babies are surviving, although they continue to feel the weight of racism, discrimination, economic strain, and other inequities, compounded by the global pandemic. Racism and discrimination remain a concern for Black families and their babies, along with economic instability and addressing mental health challenges. Our key findings indicate that:

• Psychological trauma continues to afflict Black families and their babies two years into the pandemic.
• Black families’ economic security improved slightly during the second year of the pandemic but continues to be tenuous.
• Black families continue to prioritize their health and the well-being of their children during the pandemic, although COVID-19 remains a threat.

Recommendations 

• Protect Black babies and their families from racism, discrimination, and material hardship. 
• Promote economic security, along with mobility and access to high-quality and affirming health care and early learning environments, for Black families and their babies to ensure their well-being.
• Preserve Black children’s cultural identity and positive sense of self, a necessary developmental outcome, despite the continued racial stress and trauma present in their daily lives due to ongoing discrimination and biases.

Equity Research Action Coalition at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, October 2022.