Supporting your child’s mental health after a disaster
Welcome
As extreme weather events such as floods, bushfires, droughts and cyclones occur more often and with increasing intensity, a growing number of families across Australia have experienced a disaster.
Experiencing a disaster can be difficult for the whole family. During such an event, and in its aftermath, parents may be under a lot of stress and need to draw on all their skills and strengths just to navigate daily life. They may worry about the potential impacts of disaster on their child/ren’s wellbeing.
This pathway offers ideas, strategies and confidence to help you support your child/ren’s mental health and your family’s wellbeing and resilience – both immediately after a disaster, during recovery and in the long term.
It is based on the latest evidence about what supports the recovery and mental health of children who have experienced a disaster. These resources were developed thanks to the research, work and support of professionals, families with lived experience.
In the following video (1 minute, 28 seconds), parents who have supported children through and after disasters share how this pathway can help. After the video there’s some important information about this pathway and how you can get the most out of it.