SENGinar: Supporting the Well-Being of Young Advanced Learners and Their Families

The COVID pandemic has disrupted young learners’ daily routines, their learning environments, and their home life stability which has had a grave impact on their mental health. Specifically, young children are facing anxiety, and depression at alarming rates. The pandemic impacted their social and emotional well-being, and issues with mental health greatly influenced their ability and their interests to achieve in school settings. The pandemic has also shed light onto the systemic inequities affecting students of color, students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and students from families where English is not their first language. These students have traditionally been underrepresented in gifted programs, and now more than ever, the risks to their well-being are being impacted by the pandemic.

Young children's mental health and well-being are an integral part of their learning journey and development that needs to be understood by educators, families, and those in the community who work with…