All reports indicate that children were the most affected by the tsunami
- either because they did not have the strength to cope with the water,
or because they lost relatives and homes.

Nevertheless, the holistic welfare of children is usually overlooked in
times of disaster, and I fear this disaster will be no exception.  Also,
children are at greater risk of abuse (physical, verbal, economic,
sexual) at these times.

Two years ago, I put together a report on "Children in Disasters", and
received much valuable help and input from members of this group.  I
attach 7 relevant excerpts from it below, in the hope that you might
know recipients in disaster affected areas for whom the excerpts might
be useful, and who can use them to help affected children.  Thank you.
I have a Word version and a pdf version of the excerpts which has a
clearer format, and which I can send to you if you email me.

Note: The report was commissioned by the UK office of Plan
International.  The full report can be downloaded at:
http://www.plan-uk.org/action/childrenindisasters/

Amer Jabry

------------------------

HELPING CHILDREN AFFECTED BY THE INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI

Contents
1) Common responses of children to disasters
2) Coping in the aftermath of calamity: ensuring the voices of children
are heard
3) Disasters, emergency responses and children
4) Disaster RELIEF for children - suggested good practices
5) Disaster RECOVERY for children - suggested good practices
6) Disaster PREPAREDNESS for children - suggested good practices
7) How can children help in reconstruction processes?
8) References



1) COMMON RESPONSES OF CHILDREN TO DISASTERS

TODDLERS
-       Regression in behaviour
-       Decreased appetite
-       Nightmares
-       Muteness
-       Clinging
-       Irritability
-       Exaggerated startle response.

SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN
-       Marked reactions of fear and anxiety
-       Increased hostility with siblings
-       Somatic complaints (e.g. stomach aches)
-       Sleep disorders
-       School problems
-       Decreased interest in peers, hobbies
-       Social withdrawal
-       Apathy
-       Re-enactment via play
-       Post traumatic stress disorder

ADOLESCENTS
-       Decreased interest in social activities peers, hobbies, school
-       Inability to feel pleasure
-       Decline in responsible behaviours
-       Rebellion, behaviour problems
-       Somatic complaints
-       Eating disorders
-       Change in physical activities (both increase and decrease)
-       Confusion
-       Lack of concentration
-       Risk taking behaviours
-       Post traumatic stress disorder

Source: Helping the Children - A Practical Handbook for Complex
Humanitarian Emergencies.  Edited by Anna Mandalakas, 1999



2) COPING IN THE AFTERMATH OF CALAMITY: ENSURING THE VOICES OF CHILDREN
ARE HEARD

Experience has shown that the most important factor in successful
recovery from a disaster, whether natural or manmade, is to seek out and
rely on the capacities and resources of local communities, even in the
immediate aftermath of a disaster.  Andersen in Rising from the Ashes
states: "The basic rule for an NGO beginning an emergency response is:
assume there are some important local capacities and set into motion a
process of finding out what these are" (Andersen 1998).

Children tend to make up a large proportion of a population affected by
a disaster.  In some developing countries, this proportion is greater
than 50%.  Thus overlooking children potentially ignores a large part of
local capacity at a time of disaster when it is most needed.

Overlooking children also prevents relief efforts from properly
identifying the specific vulnerabilities and the need for protection of
a substantial portion of the affected population.

Children are not a homogeneous group, and their vulnerabilities will be
a function of many factors like: their age; whether they are girls or
boys; whether they live in urban or rural settings; their ethnicity or
tribe; whether they are earning or non-earning; etc.  It will also
depend on the traditional role of children in the society, and whether
that role and position has become worse (e.g. more suppressed) or better
as a result of the disaster.

In addition, some children are more vulnerable than others in a disaster
or conflict.  In particular, those showing signs of trauma; those at
risk of abandonment or separation; those living alone or in a child
headed household; those with disabilities, particularly if they were in
centres or with more vulnerable families; those who were placed in
foster families, street children and children in conflict with the law
(MacLeod 2000).

Such oversight reduces the efficacy of relief efforts.  Therefore by
ensuring that children's voices are heard in the aftermath of a disaster
better account can be taken of their specific capacities and
vulnerabilities.


3) DISASTERS, EMERGENCY RESPONSES AND CHILDREN

Children in disasters are often the most affected segment of the
population but also the most overlooked.

Exposure to a disaster is a traumatic experience for any person, but
particularly so for a child. Childhood is a unique development period
when an individual's main physical, mental, emotional and social
development and growth take place.  Damage at this stage often cannot be
overcome later. Children exposed to a disaster experience harmful
psychological and emotional impacts that often scar children for life.
Therefore interventions to ensure the survival of children after a
disaster are very necessary, but not sufficient to ensure that the
disaster does not hinder their overall development.

But while the physical survival needs of children (safe water, food,
shelter, clothing, primary health care) and especially young children
are usually given a very high priority during a disaster, there are few
actual examples of disaster interventions that go beyond this to
consider children holistically - as worthwhile actors, with special
needs but also with special capacities to be independent strong
survivors capable of producing useful knowledge and actively
contributing to disaster relief and recovery efforts.

Why is this so? Heather MacLeod in a paper on the Holistic Care of
Children in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies states that "Emergency
responses to health crises and provision of relief food or household
items have a long history.  Many people are experienced in these
disciplines - but when it comes to specialised assistance for children
affected by war [or natural disasters] the pool of expertise is
extremely small.  Most staff learn on the spot.  There is no diploma or
degree that prepares people for addressing the holistic needs of
children in conflict [ or disaster] zones" (MacLeod 2000).


4) DISASTER RELIEF FOR CHILDREN - SOME SUGGESTED GOOD PRACTICES

A) Programs for children should always have top priority in natural
disaster, armed conflict and complex humanitarian emergency situations.
Beyond the basic physical requirements of food, safe water, clothing,
shelter, sanitation and health care, these programs should:

Ai)     Protect children from danger, violence, abuse and sexual
exploitation - not only in the immediate aftermath, but in a way that
can be extended for the duration of disaster recovery operations.  One
particularly successful strategy by UNICEF is the establishment of
"Child Friendly Spaces" in disaster relief areas where children have
access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities and a safe,
learning-friendly environment.  These "Spaces" can be developed through
appropriate community management approaches to ensure their
sustainability.

Aii)    Monitor children, adolescents and mothers of young children for
symptoms of psychological trauma and intervene when they occur.  Such
monitoring can be done via teachers, indigenous healers, community
health workers, food servers and others.  It is important to inform
these people about the special mental health risks to children and how
to help them. One approach is to talk with parents and caretakers about
their children.  Do they note significant changes in a child's
behaviour?  Are children confused and upset?  If the children are
toddlers, do they cry constantly or are they mute?  Are they
unresponsive to physical contact? Do they show developmental regression?
Another approach is to observe children at play.  Does the play seem
normal? Are children acting out recent events after the disaster?
(Mandalakas 1999)

B)      Organisations responding to a disaster relief situation need to
be able to track the history and situation of individual children.
Simple but effective record keeping of the children's on-going status
helps emergency staff ensure the development of children in and after
emergencies (MacLeod 2000).

C)      Reliable caretakers must be found for unaccompanied children,
and especially for those under two years of age who do not survive
without constant care.  Ideally, they should be female, of the same
ethnic group and speak the same language.  Adolescent girls and elderly
women make good caretakers. Discreet supervision should be maintained to
ensure caretakers are not verbally, physically or sexually abusing the
children.



5) DISASTER RECOVERY FOR CHILDREN - SOME SUGGESTED GOOD PRACTICES

.       Children and adolescents can, and should, help in a variety of
recovery tasks in the aftermath of a disaster.   Too often they are
perceived as being in the way, as just hanging around or as
non-contributors in disasters.  They can in fact, help with caring for
young unaccompanied minors, gathering wood, distributing water, working
in gardens, making food, assisting in health clinics and making
clothing.  Adolescents can prepare entertainment programs for young
children.  Depending on the culture, these may include pantomime,
puppets, storytelling or musical programs (Mandalakas 1999).  Children
often develop very resourceful survival skills during times of disaster
from which adults can learn.  Also, the contribution of children in
non-affected areas should not be forgotten.  Simply by befriending
affected children, they could provide invaluable support.

.       Children's education in the aftermath of a disaster needs to be
established as an urgent priority.  This sends a clear signal to
children affected by disasters that they are important and cared for,
and provides a healthy routine that allows them to recover a semblance
of structure and normalcy in their lives.  Depending on available
resources, the learning can be tailored to help with trauma healing and,
where necessary, peace education efforts.

.       Routines for children should be established as soon as possible
to help them recover from a disaster.  Regular, meals, story telling,
sports, music, bathing, washing clothing, holidays and festivals are all
reassuring to children and should also be a high priority in any
planning for them.

.       Identify adults with child relevant skills and ask them to help
organise programs for children.  Very often in a disaster affected
population there will be teachers, coaches, artists, musicians etc.
Asking them to help with programs for children and to act as good role
models for the children will be therapeutic and beneficial to all.

.       Adults should promote resilience in children affected by
disaster by connecting each child to a trusting loving older person, by
praising their accomplishments, by showing love and empathy and by
encouraging children's hopes and confidence.  (The International
Resilience Project, quoted in Mandalakas 1999)

.       Use the disaster recovery situation to influence and change the
perceptions of adults about the needs and views of children, and
particularly children with special needs.  The needs and views of
children in many disaster prone areas are traditionally neglected.  A
disaster recovery situation presents an opportunity to change adult
perceptions of children and their behaviour towards them.  Government
organisations and international and national NGOs can work with affected
communities to determine what is needed to ensure that a community's
children grow up to be healthy productive adults who can work on
preparing for and possibly preventing similar disasters from occurring.
In particular, communities have a special responsibility towards any of
their children who are particularly vulnerable: those with disabilities,
perhaps as a result of the disaster, those orphaned or unaccompanied,
etc.  Efforts need to be made to ensure that such children are taken
care of within the community and that child residential care
institutions (such as orphanages) are only used as a last resort.



6) DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR CHILDREN - SOME SUGGESTED GOOD PRACTICES

.       Children in disaster prone areas should be made aware of what
might happen, how to react appropriately, how to seek help and what they
can do to safeguard themselves, their families, their property and their
environment.

.       Communities in disaster prone areas should develop disaster
preparedness plans which include children's input.  These plans should
clearly identify local risks and hazards, be produced in media that all
community members can understand and access (e.g. posters, murals,
simple drawings for primary school children) and ensure that everyone is
familiar with them.

.        International, national and local government and non-government
organisations who carry out disaster related work should ensure that
they have sufficient staff trained in child health, child development,
child protection and child consultation and participation skills.  Joint
training with other NGOs, especially indigenous partners, government
officials and key community members such as teachers and religious
leaders makes good use of limited resources and helps build  partnership
relationships essential for good disaster management.  In addition,
child development experts who visit projects could run short training
sessions for local staff (MacLeod 2000).


7) HOW CAN CHILDREN HELP IN RECONSTRUCTION PROCESSES?

.  By being dedicated, working hard, removing loose stones and walls,
helping to clean up refuse and rubble, planting trees and plants

. Expressing what we feel, helping to build our houses, asking others to
collaborate in rebuilding our communities, encouraging those who feel
sad

. Helping each other, encouraging our parents, not being worried, not
being afraid, helping other kids who feel scared

. Bringing water and food or whatever to those who are rebuilding

. Organizing clean-up campaigns, dynamics to make us happier, starting
recreational groups

. Welcoming the institutions that are helping us reconstruct and not
wasting what they give to us

. Holding educational meetings, learning to draw, colour, read, write
and express our opinions

. Helping other communities

. Caring for our little brothers and sisters while our parents are
working

. Organizing ourselves to rebuild our school

SOURCE: Children from 10 shelters and communities in El Salvador soon
after the 2001 earthquakes


8) REFERENCES

Andersen, M & Woodrow, P (1998). Rising from the Ashes - Development
Strategies in Times of Disaster. London: IT Publications.

Mandalakas, A (1999). Helping the children in complex humanitarian
emergencies.
http://www.jjpi.com/Professional/Partnership/partnership_hcche.htm:
Johnson & Johnson Paediatric Institute.

McLeod H (2000). Holistic Care of Children in Complex Humanitarian
Emergencies in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies ed. Janz M & Slead J.,
Monrovia CA: World Vision International