03 NovSupporting children affected by Victorian floods
Last week, the Victorian Department of Education and Training (Vic DET) released more information to support those affected by the recent flooding in Victoria. A reminder that floods affected kinders are welcome to contact the ELAA Member Solutions team (MemberSolutions@elaa.org.au) for any advice
The information released by Vic DET last week included how a service can support their enrolled children. The floods have forced children to participate in adult conversations and have been devastating for all involved. Vic DET and ELAA encourage staff to be aware of changes in behaviour, reluctance to leave parents or new problems with basic skills such as eating or sleeping.
Early childhood educators play an important role in each child’s support network and can aid recovery by providing support and reassurance for children in their care. Some actions you may wish to consider to support children in your care include:
- providing a stable, predictable routine or explaining what will happen next where routines need to change
- planning enjoyable activities, play in preferred areas or with favourite toys and opportunities to connect with each other
- allowing children to ask questions and using developmentally appropriate explanations
- if children choose to recount an event through talking or play, listen and acknowledge their experiences away from others who may be affected
- ensure there is ongoing discussion with parents about what support is best for their child and any concerns you may have.
Services can also re-allocate their School Readiness Funding (SRF) or look at funding grants to support families learning from home.
Please use the The Emerging Minds Community Trauma Toolkit which includes comprehensive resources for supporting children and adults before, during, and after a disaster or traumatic event.
Once again, we send our best wishes and encourage you to reach out if you need any further information or support.
