Abigail Perrien

Undergraduate Research in the Neighborhoods

The goal of Abigail’s research project was to gain family care organizational leaders’ perspectives on how COVID-19 impacted their ability to provide community resources in Detroit, MI. In doing this, she was able to identify preliminary community challenges, resources needed, how providers adjusted during and since COVID-19, and more. In Phase One, Abigail and her team members collected data on family care providers within their identified census tracts. In Phase Two, they conducted interviews and focus groups to gain data. After coming together to create consensus of the code book and identify emerging themes, it showed that there is a lack of available, accessible, and affordable childcare; especially for low-income women of color, and this was worsening due to COVID-19. Lack of childcare impacted women and men’s ability to work, while Detroit also struggled in general with staffing issues. In addition, with government support fading post-COVID-19, many families that are already vulnerable, struggle to make ends meet.  

Learn more about this and other research in the STEM Teaching and Learning Facility.