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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Sonya B. Merrill, PhD, Educational Services, Inc., 7735 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 400, Bethesda, MD 20814, 240-744-7080, sonyam@esi-dc.com

Children in child care settings represent a group that is particularly vulnerable to emotional problems when unforeseen man-made or natural disasters occur. For a number of these children the disaster compounds previous traumatic occurrences of violence the children have already witnessed in their communities and homes or, in the case of immigrant families, in their home lands during war or as part of criminal acts performed by governments. These children are particularly vulnerable to profound emotional after-effects of a catastrophic event, in part, because they already may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A major disaster can re-traumatize them with potentially harmful effects. After the September 11 events, for example, many child care practitioners reported signs of such problems when they observed repetitive play involving planes knocking down “towers” of blocks.

All too often parents using child care services are faced with heightened anxiety and the need for reassurance about the safety of their children when they are in care settings away from home. Considering proactive steps to strengthen the capabilities of local provider programs to prepare children, parents, and other care givers in advance of a catastrophic event is critical to assuring environments where children and adults are better prepared to cope with, and rebound from, the unexpected.

This presentation proposes to introduce a number of simplistic preparedness steps, tools, and model programs to increase the coping power of young children and their parents while supporting the adults who care for young children away from home.

Learning Objectives:

• To raise awareness about the concept of emergency preparedness and its benefit to young children in care settings away from home.
• To share approaches from child care providers who have implemented emergency preparedness programs.
• To assist providers with a set of practical steps and tools to improve their preparedness, to facilitate the education and awareness of parents and other caregivers, and to increase the coping ability of young children faced with the unexpected.

Keywords: Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Disasters

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation