During an online visit, early learning specialist Janelle Garcia, right, observes as parent Micheal Lopez, middle, guides 3-year-old Adrian Lopez in an activity in March 2022. Editor’s Note: This article was written for Mosaic Vision, an independent journalism training program for high school students who report and photograph stories under the guidance of professional journalists.
In 2020, ParentChild+ served 291 children and their families in California. When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, “we had no idea if our families were going to leave or if they were going to stay,” said Whitney Evans, California’s director for ParentChild+. “She said, ‘The reason why I’m consistent and still here is because of you. You know you are making a difference for my son, who started off as nonverbal, who has autism, and now he can say a few words.’ That was a success in itself. It’s like she sees us as an anchor,” Moctezuma said.
Another struggle for families was trying to get the attention of the children, who are just 1½ to 3 years old.