Social support for families with many children during the COVID-19 pandemic[Социальная Поддержка Многодетных Семей В Период Пандемии Covid-19]

The article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families with many children, and provides an overview of common problems faced by families during forced self-isolation. The aim of the study is to analyze the opinion of large families about social support before and during the pandemic. To obtain the data, a sociological study was carried out in the form of two Internet surveys of families with many children in St. Petersburg. The surveys were conducted from June 2019 to March 2020 and from November 2020 to December 2020 (total sample – 140 families). SurveyMonkey online service was used as a platform for conducting the surveys. The results of the study demonstrated the lack of the state support for large families in economic terms; the payments provided to families with children in 2020 were taken into account. In addition to the aggravation of the general problems of families with many children, new problems were identified, due to which families with children experienced special difficulties – the lack of sufficient equipment and gadgets for distance learning, the need to constantly purchase personal protective equipment for all family members, the inability to visit playgrounds and recreation areas due to the self-isolation regime, forced transfer to online work, and lack of the necessary psychological support. The study is of practical importance for the development and implementation of the measures to support large families by the state and public organizations in the post-COVID period, which will prevent an aggravation of the financial situation of families with many children, the loss of jobs by parents, psychological stress within the family and an increase in the number of divorces.