Strategies for Supporting Child Development and Care amidst Financial Distress: A Scoping Review

Recognizing the profound impact of economic hardship on children's well-being, this research used a scoping review approach to explore strategies for supporting child development and care amidst financial distress. An extensive search was performed using the electronic databases of articles such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Semantic Scholar. The study selected and extracted data from the literature according to the PRISMA-SCR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews) to map the current literature for gaps in knowledge regarding effective Interventions and support mechanisms. The research studies show that financial stress is associated with children’s deteriorating mental and physical health, lack of education, and difficulties in childcare. Chronic stress, poor basic needs, and emotional struggles lead to poor academic performance as well as poverty which becomes cyclical and likely to follow the child to adulthood. Promising areas of focus include social support systems, which may include mental health services, equal education for citizens, and policy changes to social policies and welfare. Much more needs to be done in future to develop and deploy strategies that will help the children in financial difficulties to become more resilient.