Children

Children account for one fourth of the U.S. population. During any weekday, around 69 million children are in schools, at childcare, or are away from their families. Children are at higher risk because they have different communication skills, self-preservation instincts, unique medical needs, and physical and mental abilities. Their minds are still developing, which makes them susceptible to mental health problems following disasters. Emergency situations can be traumatic and stressful to children who have preexisting mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorders.

Tips for Families from the CDC’s Access and Functional Needs Toolkit Integrating a Community Partner Network to Inform Risk Communication Strategies¹:

• Families and guardians should educate themselves on their children’s schools’ emergency plans and protocols.
• Children should carry an Emergency Contact Card that identifies emergency contacts and caregiver plans.

Tips for Communication Planning for Children from Access and Functional Needs Toolkit Integrating a Community Partner Network to Inform Risk Communication Strategies¹:

• Engage with educational institutions and childcare facilities (schools, universities, daycare centers, etc.) on the importance of providing students with basic preparedness instruction. Providing school children with take-home materials for their parents may enhance preparedness.
• Create age-appropriate messages and materials. Children of different ages and developmental status understand emergencies and health risks differently.
• Ensure messaging addresses children’s unique needs.
• Empower children with age-appropriate education that teaches what to do in an emergency.
• Promote the importance of developing a family preparedness communication plan.
• Include messages on how caregivers can help children cope.
• Develop messaging for multiple locations where children congregate, for example, schools, childcare facilities, after-school care, youth sport leagues, parks and recreation organizations, and pediatrician offices.
• Ensure timely and effective delivery of messages for evacuation, relocation, and reunification of children in educational settings, childcare, or other child congregate facilities.

Resources

• State of Connecticut Child Emergency Preparedness
  • The Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) has created a webpage of different resources for families to use to help be prepared for emergencies with children.
• Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Connecticut
  • CT EMSC is working to ensure that every ill and injured child, no matter where they live, attend school, or are traveling in Connecticut, receive appropriate emergency care. The website has webpages on Always Ready for Children, Project ECHO, the Advisory Committee and more.
• Emergency Planning and Response Resources
  • The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood’s (OEC) Emergency Planning and Response Resource Page has multiple plans and manuals to help guide people to prepare for children during a disaster or emergency.
• Pediatric Preparedness Resource Kit
  • This is a resource kit for pediatricians, public health leaders and other pediatric care providers to assess what is already happening in the community and state to determine what needs to be done before an emergency or disaster.
• Addressing the Needs of Children in Disaster Preparedness Exercises
  • The document was developed by Illinois Emergency Medical Services for Children under the direction of the Pediatric Preparedness Workgroup. The document targets health care entities and all response agencies.
• Planning for Children in Disasters: A Hospital Toolkit
  • This toolkit was created by Michigan Department of Health & Human Services with Michigan Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, Trauma & Preparedness and is designed for hospitals and how they can prepare their plans to include children for disaster preparedness.
• Psychological Issues for Children and Adolescents in Disasters
  • This guidance document provides information for individuals concerned with the mental health needs of children who experience major disasters. This can include health and mental health professionals, professional and paraprofessional social service personnel, school and daycare personnel, clergy, volunteers and parents.
• Your Child is At Risk for Mental Health Issues After a Disaster
  • The CDC has a webpage with information about how children can be impacted by a disaster and what can be done to help them. There are different articles to give further guidance on the subject.
• Disaster Preparedness Toolkit for Families with Special Health Care Needs
  • This toolkit was developed at the Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health. The school interviewed different stakeholders involved with access and functional needs populations on what they would like to see to help them prepare for an emergency.
• Family Reunification Following Disasters: A Planning Tool for Health Care Facilities
  • This document is created for health care facilities to assist reunification between families and children, during and after a disaster.

¹ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2021). Access and Functional Needs Toolkit: Integrating a Community Partner Network to Inform Risk Communication Strategies. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).