Safe exit

Supporting children immediately after a disaster or traumatic event

Emerging Minds and ANU, Australia, 2018

Related to Bereavement, loss and grief, Preparing for natural disasters, Responding to traumatic events, Trauma

Resource Summary

Disasters and traumatic events are by nature, very stressful and it is normal to feel overwhelmed. However, it is important to remember that even after facing a disaster, most adults and children will cope and recover over time with the right help and support. This video offers tips about how to support children immediately after a disaster or traumatic event.

Notice: [ Timber ] Timber::get_image() was called incorrectly. Getting a post by post slug or post name was removed from Timber::get_post() in Timber 2.0. Use Timber::get_post_by() instead. Please see Debugging in WordPress (https://wordpress.org/support/article/debugging-in-wordpress/) as well as Debugging in Timber (https://timber.github.io/docs/v2/guides/debugging/) for more information. (This message was added in Timber version 2.0.0.) in /home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php on line 399

Notice: [ Timber ] Timber::get_post() was called incorrectly. Getting a post by post slug or post name was removed from Timber::get_post() in Timber 2.0. Use Timber::get_post_by() instead. Please see Debugging in WordPress (https://wordpress.org/support/article/debugging-in-wordpress/) as well as Debugging in Timber (https://timber.github.io/docs/v2/guides/debugging/) for more information. (This message was added in Timber version 2.0.0.) in /home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php on line 399

Warning: Attempt to read property "ID" on array in /home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/site/content/themes/frame-custom/library/Setup/Frontend.php on line 406

Discover more resources

Deprecated

/home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php

461

Short article

A guide for health and social service workers: Supporting children’s mental health immediately following a disaster

Emerging Minds

These guidelines assist practitioners to help families immediately following a natural disaster. Children of all ages can be profoundly affected by natural disasters such as bushfires, floods, cyclones and severe storms. These events can produce trauma, grief, destruction of children's sense of safety and security, and loss of their home, school or social networks.

Deprecated

/home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php

461

Video

Children in the immediate aftermath of a disaster or traumatic event

Emerging Minds

This video discusses some of the ways children might feel and behave in the immediate time period after a disaster.

Deprecated

/home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php

461

Short article

How educators can support children immediately after a disaster or community trauma

Emerging Minds

The immediate aftermath of a disaster or community trauma can be confusing, difficult and overwhelming for all community members. As an educator, you will know many of the children in your community personally, you may also be a first responder or parent and have different responsibilities pulling you in different directions.

Deprecated

/home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php

461

Webinar

Identifying and responding to child sexual abuse: Supporting the mental health of children and young people

Child Family Community Australia & Emerging Minds

This webinar combines practice and lived experience to explore how we as a sector can better identify and respond to child sexual abuse and support victims and survivors to heal and recover. It is intended to complement ‘Trauma prevention and early intervention approaches with children and young people’ which was broadcast in September 2025.

Deprecated

/home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php

461

Webinar

Beginning child aware conversations with parents who use substances

Emerging Minds and Mental Health Professionals' Network (MHPN)

In this webinar with the Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN), our multidisciplinary panel will explore and identify reasons that may underlie school attendance difficulties. This presentation will promote the value of partnership-based, trauma-informed strategies to support a contextualised understanding of each child’s unique needs in education settings.

Deprecated

/home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php

461

Guide

Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline For Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Australasian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA)

Deprecated

/home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php

461

Short article

Self-harm in primary school-aged children

Dr Laura Gobey, Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS)

This article provides a summary of the research evidence on self-harm behaviours in primary school-aged children. It outlines what self-harm behaviours are, how common they are, and why primary school-aged children may be self-harming.

Deprecated

/home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php

461

Webinar

Towards a comprehensive child mental health system: Exploring workforce availability

Emerging Minds

This webinar is intended for organisational and systems leaders across the health, education, social and community services sectors, as well as practitioners with an interest in workforce development.

Deprecated

/home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php

461

Research summary

Highlights in child mental health research: September 2025

Prepared by AIFS

The August 2025 research summary provides a selection of recently released papers, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses related to infant and child mental health. Each summary includes an introductory overview of the content for the month, followed by a list of selected articles. Each article is accompanied by a brief synopsis that presents the key messages and highlights. Links to abstracts, full-text articles and related resources, where available, are provided.

Deprecated

/home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php

461

Resource summary

Resources for supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families

These resources explore how non-Indigenous practitioners and services can develop genuine connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities to create the best conditions for effective service delivery; services based on respect, learning and creating shared understandings.

Deprecated

/home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php

461

Resource summary

Resources for supporting infants and children in disasters

This practice guide is a series of resources on child-centred and family-focused approaches in disaster preparedness, response and recovery. It aims to equip you with foundational knowledge and evidence-informed approaches to support infants, children and their families during and after disasters, and promote their long-term healing and wellbeing.

Deprecated

/home/emergingminds_staging/emergingminds.frmdv.com/releases/278-f5bc6eac752bfb6f4e37e473f94f1f3652bc2f4f/vendor/timber/timber/src/Helper.php

461

Resource summary

GP resources

See all the accredited online courses, assessment tools, webinars, podcasts and family digital health resources Emerging Minds offers to support general practitioners/GPs in supporting children’s mental health from birth through to age 12 years.

This resource is part of the following toolkits

Community Trauma Toolkit

304 Resources
Toolkit Sections: