Whether a child has personally experienced trauma, has merely seen the event on television, or has heard it discussed by adults, it is important for parents and caregivers to be informed and ready to help if reactions to stress begin to occur.
Below are some resources child care providers and parents can use in their work with children who have faced a disaster or traumatic event.
Helping Children Cope with Media Coverage
- Helping Your Child Cope with Media Coverage of Disasters: A Fact Sheet for Parents (PDF download) – Disaster and Community Crisis Center
- How to Talk to Your Child About the News – KidsHealth
- Explaining the News to Our Kids – Common Sense Media
Supporting Children Who Have Faced Trauma Infographic (Click to view the full infographic and use your browser to zoom in if needed.)
Social-Emotional Resources:
- Supporting Children who are Experiencing Stress (PDF download)
- Let’s Talk about Feelings: Brain Building Tips for Encouraging Healthy Emotional Development in Young Children (PDF download). Also available in Spanish.
- Children’s Responses to Crises and Tragic Events (PDF download) – National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness
- Comfort Kits for Kids (PDF download) – Child Care Aware of Missouri
- Sesame Street Resources
- Feeling Safe, Being Safe (PDF download) – California Department of Developmental Services
- Disasters – The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement
- Journey of Hope – Save the Children
Tips for Parents and Caregivers
- Helping Your Child Cope After a Disaster (PDF download) – National center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness
- Helping Children Cope – Ready.gov
- Mobile App: Help Kids Cope (PDF download) – UCLA
- Children & Disasters: Disaster Preparedness to Meet Children’s Needs – American Academy of Pediatrics
- 10 Tips for Helping Children Cope with Disaster – Save the Children
- Parent Tips for Helping Infants and Toddlers after Disasters (PDF download) – Psychological First Aid
- FEMA Accessible: CDC Helping Children with Disabilities During an Emergency – FEMA
- FEMA Accessible: Helping Children Cope After a Disaster – FEMA
Books for Helping Children Cope:
- Children and Disasters Book List (PDF download) – Click to explore books for helping children cope with disasters, violence or other traumatic events. Find books for every age level.
- Read for Resilience
