Disaster recovery
This page contains a selection of existing resources for early childhood education services, outside school hours care services and staff to support you, your colleagues, the children at your service and people in your community who have been impacted by natural disasters.
A range of information and funding support for individuals and businesses in NSW, including a Disaster Assistance Finder, is available through the NSW Government’s Emergency Recovery webpage.
The Commonwealth Government also has support available including payments for communities which have been impacted by natural disasters. The Community Childcare Fund grants help ECEC services stay open when something unexpected happens.
Our Emergency Planning, Management, Response and Recovery page will assist you to plan, respond and recover from emergencies at your service.
Disaster recovery resources for you and your colleagues
- BeYou: Educator wellbeing after a natural disaster – tips on how to balance your responsibilities and your own mental health.
- NSW Department of Education: Mental Health and Wellbeing webinars – webinars and resources designed to support educators.
Disaster recovery resources for children at your service
- Birdie's Tree: Growing together through natural disasters – online storybooks and therapeutic games to help infants and young children affected by natural disasters.
- Emerging Minds: Community Trauma toolkit – resources educators can use to support children after a disaster or traumatic event.
- Early childhood digital learning packs – resources if children are unable to attend your service.
- Red Cross Australia: Help in Emergencies – lesson plans, activity books and guides for early childhood educators.
- Be You: How to provide support after a natural disaster – tips and guidelines on supporting and comforting children after natural disasters.
- Be You: Trauma-informed strategies for educators – strategies to support the recovery of children after a traumatic event.
- Be You: The roles of early learning services in supporting children after a traumatic event.
- Victoria State Government Better Health Channel: Trauma and Children – information on identifying and supporting preschoolers through trauma.
- University of Wollongong: Bushfire response – early childhood education strategies and practices to support children who have experienced bushfire.
Disaster recovery resources for families and the community
- Trauma & Grief Network: Supporting your child’s recovery after trauma – advice for parents and families to help support children after a traumatic event.
- Red Cross: Helping children and young people cope with crisis booklet –for parents and carers to help understand trauma, the reactions of children and how to respond to their needs.
- Facing Tough Times booklet – information on how to support your family through tough times.
- Raising Children: Child mental health and wellbeing – Resources for parents and carers on supporting child mental health and wellbeing.
- Emerging Minds: Understanding and supporting preschool-age children who have experienced grief and loss – factsheet with information and strategies to assist parents in providing support
- University of Wollongong: Bushfire response – early childhood education strategies and practices to support communities who have experienced bushfire.
- Life in Mind: Support for those impacted by natural disasters and traumatic events – resources and support for flood, bushfire and drought.
- NSW Department of Education: Bushfire information for parents – advice on how to support children who have been affected by bushfires.
Disaster recovery resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
There's additional support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families on the following website:
- Trauma & Grief Network: Indigenous support – tip sheets and resources to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families through tough times.
Counselling services
If at any time you are worried about your or the mental health of a loved one, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
You can also contact:
- your doctor or local community health centre
- a counsellor or psychologist
- Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
- Parentline: 1300 1300 52
- Mensline: 1300 789 978
- 13 YARN: 13 92 76
- Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
- Headspace: 1800 650 890