Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the ongoing bushfires throughout Australia. Bushfires impact the lives of children, young people, families and communities and trauma may be experienced long after they have passed.
The following resources provide useful information on how to support children and young people who have been or expect to be affected by the bushfires.
Book for young children:
This is a story for young children about recovering from fires that is available in multiple languages and can be read online.
Social story for children living with autism:
A social story to share with children. The social story can be adapted to suit your family by downloading and editing the Word document version.
Information for families and carers to assist in supporting their children:
A resource for supporting children aged 3-15 in the days and weeks after experiencing a traumatic event.
Information about ‘psychological first aid’ for children and adolescents who have faced, or are facing, an emergency which threatens their lives or well being.
An interview with Dr. Michael Carr-Greg, a renowned Australian psychologist, on the impact of bushfire trauma on children.
If you have any concerns about how you or your child is coping, please seek professional help. You can contact your local GP or any of the following organisations:
- Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
- Lifeline on 13 11 14
- Headspace on 1800 650 890
