Natural Disasters...

You may be looking at this resource because of a natural disaster currently impacting your community, or you may be looking to prepare and build the capacity of your team for a 'big situation' that may occur.

Before you do anything... safety comes first

If you are experiencing a critical incident now...

• Keep everyone safe. Avoid injuries or harm by making your site physically safe and keeping things as calm as possible.
• Follow the directions of emergency services.
• Follow regulatory requirements and implement relevant policies, including informing management, and your Regulatory Authority where needed e.g. critical incident or service closure.
• Be ready to say no if people ask you to do things that are outside your scope or that could be harmful for children and calmly explain why.
• Seek or ask for help as needed.

To access further tips for responding right now, click here.

When communities are affected by natural disasters like fires, floods or storms, educators may have time to prepare children beforehand and will need to support them and their families afterwards. Educators may have been directly affected themselves, and need support too.

Recovery from a natural disaster often takes time. Maintaining connections in communities, and returning to usual activities can be an important part of the recovery process. Educators can play a key role in this at a service and community level.

This resource aims to support educators to include all children while responding to, and supporting recovery from, events that impact on the lives of children, families, and communities. This is not about educators needing to know everything, or feeling pressured to resolve or fix big situations. This resource is designed to be a starting point to quickly connect educators with the targeted support and resources they need to keep going with their important work with children and families when big situations happen.

An Inclusion Professional can support educators to proactively prepare to have the skills and confidence to respond to big situations that may occur. This preparation could include support to use this resource and may involve strategic inclusion planning. It should be noted that big situations often require support from experts that sit outside the role and expertise of the Inclusion Professional. Inclusion Professionals can help educators connect with external organisations and agencies as needed. If educators feel prepared to respond to big situations, they are more able to remain inclusive of all children and continue to deliver a quality program.

Maintain routines and rhythms

Children benefit from consistency. You can help them feel safe by continuing to do things the way you usually would. Acknowledge events and how children feel, but also provide the usual play opportunities and experiences.

Encourage connections and conversations

Children process experiences through play and interactions with people they trust. Children will connect through play, and conversations about big situations may happen as they play. Adults may need more encouragement and structure, so create opportunities for this where you can, or encourage families and your team members to access community supports and networks where relevant. People especially benefit from support from those they already know and trust.

Link to specialist services when necessary

In a crisis, practical help (e.g. housing, food, finances) is usually what is needed first. Not everyone needs counselling or psychological assistance. Be aware of people who are distressed, especially those whose distress continues over time, as they may need specialist help.

Take care of yourself

Big situations often bring up big feelings, at the time and also afterwards. Helping others can be demanding and tiring. Being part of a supportive team can really help. Sometimes it helps to set priorities and accept that you can’t do what you would usually do. Accessing professional support (such as Employee Assistance Program) can help especially if an incident brings up feelings from your own past, or you feel uncertain, overwhelmed or burdened by your role in the situation.

Next time

After responding to a big situation, it’s helpful to review how you and your team have coped. If you want to be better prepared for big situations that may happen in the future, you might like to access the Community Trauma Tool Kit (Emerging Minds) and/or sign up for National Mental Health Education Initiative (Be You) to help you develop a positive, inclusive and resilient learning community. You can also seek support to plan for the future by contacting your Inclusion Professional or contact us to send us an email.

• How might a natural disaster impact on children's engagement, interactions, access and participation?
• How do educators plan for children's individual needs (mobility, communication - visuals, understanding - social stories, medication)? What resources and information do you need?
• How can you ensure this planning remains relevant to the needs of each child?
• What do you think parents and carers need to know about your response to a natural disaster? What might children need to know?
• How can policies and procedures support your responses and planning? Do you need to develop or review any policies and procedures?

Below is a range of resources that may support you to respond to or be prepared for a natural disaster.

Information for educators

• How to support children immediately after a disaster or community trauma (Emerging Minds)
• Community Trauma Toolkit for Educators (Emerging Minds)
• Disaster resources (Australian Child and Adolescent, Trauma, Loss and Grief Network) Relevant and reliable information and resources that can be used to support young people and their families in preparing for, coping with and recovering from disasters
• Preparedness and Recovery (Red Cross)
  Emergency recovery lesson plans focusing on Early childhood for children aged 3 to 5years. These lesson plans have been designed to help childcare staff educate young children about important emergency preparedness information.
• Educator wellbeing after a natural disaster (Be You)
• Providing support after a natural disaster (Be You)
• Bushfire Response Program (Be You) Covers bushfires and community trauma Includes Webinars, Resources, and E-Learning developed in partnership with Emerging Minds.
• Brigade Kids (NSW Fire Service)
  Fire safety education program for children aged 3 to 5 years in Early Childcare Education and Care Services.
• Engaging with the Rural Fire Service
  Information on how primary schools can engage with NSW Rural Fire Service. Includes links to The Li’l Larikkins Bushfire Safety Program designed to assist primary schools teachers to engage their students in bush fire safety and preparedness.
• Supporting Recovery -2009 Victorian Bushfires (Emerging Minds - Podcast)
• Brigade Kids – Diverse Needs
  Lesson plans and resources for diverse learning needs focusing on children in the early years and school stages (ES1, Stage 1 and Stage 2). Includes social stories and visual schedules to help children’s fire safety education and preparedness.
• Emotional and trauma support after a flood (NSW Department of Education).
• Birdie's Tree (Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service) Information and resources for educators around preparedness, response and recovery from natural disasters

Information for families

• Traumatic events: Supporting children in the days and months afterwards (Raising Children)
• What parents and caregivers can expect immediately after a disaster or community trauma (Emerging Minds)
• How to prepare kids for emergencies (ABC)
• Talking with children before an emergency (Red Cross)
• Talking with children after an emergency (Red Cross)
• Helping children and young people cope with crisis (Red Cross)
• Traumatic events: Supporting children in the days and months afterwards (Raising Children)
• Prepare your home emergency plan (State Emergency Service)
  NSW State Emergency Service Website- Create your own Home Emergency Plan.
• Prepare your home emergency kit (State Emergency Service)
  Information by NSW State Emergency Service on what to include in your Emergency Kit.
  
• Emotional and trauma support after a flood (NSW Department of Education)
• How to talk to children about emergencies (ABC - Video)
  A helpful resource for families and educators addressing the unprecedented weather and fire emergencies of the 2019-2020 summer. Child psychologist Nicola Palfrey, from The Australian National University, talks about how to support children dealing with trauma and anxiety.
• How to help children deal with trauma and grief after bushfire crisis (ABC)
• Birdie's Tree (Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service) Information and resources for families around preparedness, response and recovery from natural disasters

Children's books relating to this big situation

• The use of therapeutic story books following a natural disaster (Emerging Minds -Video)
• Birdie Stories (E-books from Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service)

E-Book titles include: Birdie and the Fire; Birdie and the Cyclone; Birdie and the Flood; Birdie and the Drought; Birdie and the Storm; Birdie and the Earthquake; Birdie and the Very Hot Day; Birdie and the Shelter.
These stories are also available in community languages. Hard copies of Birdie’s stories can be bought for $10 each here.

• Fire Wombat by Jackie French (For younger children - Look for this book on YouTube before purchasing)
• Grug and the Bushfire by Ted Prior (For younger children - Look for this book on YouTube before purchasing)
• Flood by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley (For older children)
• Fire by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley (For older children)
• Cyclone by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley (For older children)
• Drought by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley (For older children)
• Bushfire How to be Aware and Prepare by Polly Marsden and Chris Nixon (For older children)

• National Mental Health Education Initiative (Be You)

Access professional learning modules for educators, or to get the most benefit from Be You, sign up your service to create a learning community and access a Be You consultant from Early Childhood Australia.

• Community Trauma Toolkit for Educators (Emerging Minds)

Access short courses and resources to help educators support children following a disaster or community trauma.

The following stories The water's rising and Smoke is all around us relate to two types of natural disasters to provide insights and opportunities for reflection to inform your planning and preparation.

Disclaimer:

Links within this website provide a starting point for accessing support and resources and are not exhaustive. If you have any feedback on this resource please contact us.