BUSHFIRE EMERGENCY

We know that children are most vulnerable during times of disaster. The bushfires that have raged across parts of Australia spreading terror before them and leaving devastation behind, have created a crisis on an unprecedented scale. The traumatic effect on the children caught up in these cannot be underestimated.
 

Save the Children is setting up Child Friendly Spaces in bushfire-affected regions to help children cope by giving them a place to be kids again.

Supported by our dedicated staff trained in helping children in crisis, the kids can draw, play and socialize. Most importantly, they can begin to process their experiences in a safe and supported environment.

Once the fires have passed, your donation will help Save the Children continue to work with affected children in the months that follow, helping to reduce their distress and assisting their communities to recover from what they have experienced.

The program, called Journey of Hope, is implemented by specially trained support workers through schools and early childhood centres. It is designed to help children and their caregivers understand, process and express their feelings and emotions in order to help them recover. The program helps children develop coping skills through structured games, stories and creative play in safe, small groups. It helps them identify emotions and understand that it’s normal to feel angry, sad or frustrated during scary or difficult situations. The model has been well researched and found to increase resilience, reduce psychological stress and increase coping skills amongst affected children.