The level of trauma experienced by individual children and families will vary. Some children may have been upset by media images, others frightened by smoke, sirens and evacuations, while others grieve the loss of a home or family member. When a child has had a significant loss it is important for a services to seek further support and additional resources.
When behaviour may not be related to the disaster? | Knowing children
Additional help for recovery | Psychological first aid
Berry Street
An Australian organisation focused on supporting children and families to be safe, thriving and hopeful. They provide intensive therapeutic service and intervention for healing childhood trauma, by working with a child, their family and teachers to help the child recover.
Dalwood Spilstead
A unique early intervention and support service to help families with young children. Services include family services, case management, child development services and parent/child interaction interventions with a multidisciplinary team.
Australian Child and Adolescent trauma, loss & grief network (ACTLGN) website is focused on recognizing and responding to children’s complex and diverse needs in the face of threats and losses encountered early in their lives. The disasters section specifically addresses bushfires and trauma reactions giving educators the information they need to refer children who may need extra support
CatholicCare
CatholicCare is the social services agency of the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong, covering the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, Macarthur and Southern Highlands Regions and offer free trauma counselling for those effected by bushfires
Red Cross Australia
Services may consider building the capacity of the staff team to support each other and the community through learning psychological first aid. This is not early childhood specific however provides an overview of the best practice for psychological first aid for children and community in recovery
RUOK website has clear bushfire emergency information to help those concerned about others. RUOK is a suicide prevention organisation with a mission is to inspire and empower everyone to meaningfully connect with people around them and support anyone struggling with life. The website has clear information about how to support friends, family and colleagues through a bushfire crisis.
Anglicare is providing cost free counselling to those impacted by the recent bushfires.
To access counselling (face-to-face or by telephone or skype) across Illawarra, Shoalhaven, South Coast, Southern Highlands - please call 1300 651 728.
Anglicare financial and practical support services available for immediate support: 8624 8600
