Supporting children

Parents and teachers can support children to cope with the psychological burden of a serious disaster.

What can parents do: Try to minimize children’s fear and anxiety, Keep family united, Include children in family preparation and organisation, Use simple language to inform children, Discuss their own fears with their children, Keep children away from tv, Encourage children to express their feelings, Be patient with children's strange behaviors, Do not offer children wrong promises or information, Support children to deliver activities, Keep physical contact with their children, Monitor physical discomfort of children.

What can teachers do: During earthquake Keep calm, Follow evacuation plans, Give orders with steady and calm voice, Support pupils crying, Try to manage their emotions.

What can teachers do: After earthquake Evacuate classroom and follow school plan, Understand pupil’s fears and emotions, Hug smaller children if cry, Inform children that danger has passed, Accompany pupils till parents’ arrival.

What can teachers do: Long after earthquake Return as sooner as possible to normal school life, Be honest without underestimating problems and disaster effects, Express and discuss with pupils their own fears, Support pupils to discuss their fears and thoughts, Ask pupils to write and draw about the disaster, Be patient and accept recurrent pupils questions, Be optimist and realistic, Be in contact and collaboration with parents, Seek for psychological symptoms on pupils.