Managing Children in Disasters: Planning for Their Unique Needs

DESCRIPTION

"… is a welcome addition to the growing body of literature in an area that has sorely needed it. The authors cite the latest studies and best practices on the subject, referencing the current list of resources available from leading children advocacy organizations. The result offers an invaluable resource on the challenges of providing for the needs of children during crises and natural hazard events."

--Mark K. Shriver, Chairman of the National Commission on Children in Disasters and Senior Vice President of Save the Children’s U.S. Programs

Each year, disasters such as house fires, car accidents, tsunamis, earthquakes, and hurricanes impact hundreds of thousands of children. Child victims can suffer disproportionately and the physical and psychological damage sustained can far outweigh the same effects in adults, often requiring years of therapy. Sadly, emergency planners to date have largely failed to adequately recognize and accommodate the particular requirements of children in times of disaster.

Highlighting the infrastructure that supports children in a safe and secure community, Managing Children in Disasters begins by identifying the special needs of children, including physical security, emotional stability, family unity, and ongoing education. It looks at how hazard mitigation actions can reduce the long term impact of a disaster on this infrastructure, and outlines the many steps that can be taken by parents, emergency managers, school officials, and child care providers to prepare for a future incident.

The book reviews what agencies and organizations can do to ensure that children are protected and families remain intact. It examines evacuation plans and processes, emergency shelters, and the recovery and rebuilding process. The final chapter provides a list of resources in emergency planning, psychosocial recovery, training and education courses, technical assistance, and other organizations and examples of existing programs, reports, sample plans, and guides written for children.

Providing guidance for the family and community, this book discusses the types of efforts that can be undertaken in all phases of emergency management including preparation, immediate response, and recovery.

Features

• Presents the first publication on managing critical children’s needs during disasters
• Provides a cross-disciplinary approach
• Brings in the expertise of seasoned FEMA professionals
• Identifies the unique needs of children in disasters
• Includes case studies to clarify concepts

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Unique Needs of Children in Disasters
Physical security
Emotional stability
Family unity
Education and child care continuity
Return to routine
Resources
Child Infrastructure
Parents/grandparents/guardians/foster parents/siblings
Schools - teachers and counselors
Child care providers and caregivers
Critical infrastructure - rods, utilities, etc.
Child social services
Classmates and friends
Resources
Mitigation
Infrastructure resilience and protection
Provision of government services
Case Studies
Tulsa Partners Children in Disasters Project
Preparedness
Building resiliency - psychosocial programs
COOP Planning for schools and child care centers
Evacuation plans
Shelter planning
Communications plans among all parties
Notification processes
Case Studies
Resources
Response
Shelters
Transportation
Notification
Communications plans
Training and education courses and materials
Technical assistance
Partnership building
Displacement
Separation from family
Case Studies
Resources
Recovery
Restoration of child infrastructure becomes a top priority
Temporary housing, schools and child care
Counseling - psychosocial- children and caregivers
Case Studies
Resources
Resources
Communications plans
Training and education courses and materials
Technical assistance
Partnership building
Leadership

Editorial Reviews

Managing Children in Disasters is a welcome addition to the growing body of literature in an area that has sorely needed it. The authors cite the latest studies and best practices on the subject, referencing the current list of resources available from leading children advocacy organizations. The result offers an invaluable resource on the challenges of providing for the needs of children during crises and natural hazard events.

– Mark K. Shriver, Chairman of the National Commission on Children in Disasters and Senior Vice President of Save the Children's U.S. Programs

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Jane Bullock is a Research Scientist and Adjunct Professor at the Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. She is also Principal in Bullock and Haddow LLC, a homeland security and disaster management consulting firm.
George D. Haddow holds is a Research Scientist and Adjunct Professor at the Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. He is the second Principal at Bullock and Haddow LLC.