The Observatory for Children’s Education and Health is a center coordinating research on the short- and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s education, and on the identification of mitigating strategies for the post-pandemic recovery. The observatory is funded by the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et Culture (FRQSC).

Although children and teenagers are less affected by COVID-19 infection than adults, they nonetheless suffer from the social and economic consequences of the current pandemic. Directly or indirectly, the pandemic affects the lifetime trajectory of many young people, particularly those with social vulnerability or medical risk factors. The scientific community has been proactive in noting the adverse effects of the pandemic and researching solutions, but to date these efforts have been scattered and disperse. We propose to set up an organized infrastructure for research and innovation, a world-class pole of excellence, to allow researchers and decision-makers to work together on minimizing the impact of COVID-19 on child health, psychosocial development, education, and economic outcomes. We aim to combine the strengths of administrative and research data in a Research Platform for Understanding Child Development, Health, and Education (Observatoire pour l’Éducation et la Santé des Enfants, OPES). This platform could play a leading role in informed decision-making, maximizing the health and welfare of the next generation, our social capital.