For Parents, Families and Carers

Below are a collection of publications developed by the Department to assist parents in providing support and calming the bushfire related fears of infants, children and adolescents.

• Preparing for Anniversaries and Memorials (PDF - 58Kb) - information for parents and carers
• Supporting Recovery for Children and Young People: for parents/carers - includes information about accessing support from allied health professionals, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, GPs and Community Health Centres.
  • brochure (PDF - 829Kb)
  • extended version (PDF - 136Kb)
  • frequently asked questions (PDF - 87Kb)
• Supporting Recovery for Young People (PDF - 88Kb) - for adolescents
• A Little Ray of Sunshine (PDF - 168Kb) - suggestions for supporting children with special needs
• Dealing with Grief and Loss (PDF - 1.2Mb) - for children with special needs
• Dealing with Grief and Loss (PDF - 533Kb) - for adolescents
• Possible Reactions of Students after a Natural Disaster (PDF - 169Kb) – designed to assist teachers and parents with possible reactions of students after a Natural Disaster. Provides suggestions for restoring a sense of safety and security in the school community.
• Helping Adolescents after a Bushfire (PDF - 217Kb) – identifies possible reactions that adolescents may experience and provides strategies for assisting adolescents
• Helping Children and Adolescents after a Bushfire – Information for Parents or Carers (PDF - 42Kb) - assists parents or carers in addressing bushfire related issues with their children and adolescents
• Returning to Fire Affected Areas (PDF - 28Kb) - information about preparing for your return, supporting children and receiving further support

The following resources have been developed by external agencies.

• Children and Crisis factsheet
• Teenagers and Crisis factsheet
• Family and Crisis factsheet
• Grief and Children factsheet

Below are a collection of videos to assist parents in providing support and calming the bushfire related fears of infants, children and adolescents. Presented by:

• Dr Sharon Goldfeld, paediatrician and Senior Medical Advisor, Child Health, DEECD, and
• Vicki Trethowan, Manager, Bushfire Psychosocial Response/Recovery, Student Wellbeing Division, DEECD.

More information

For more information on supporting children see:

• Parentline on 13 22 89 - a statewide telephone counselling service for parents and carers of children aged from birth to eighteen years
• Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 - a free, confidential and anonymous, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25
• Kids Life
• Behaviour and Wellbeing
• Early Childhood Australia
• Parent Link
• Raising Children Network
• Australian Child and Adolescent Trauma, Loss and Grief Network
• Skylight - a New Zealand organisation that provides specialised support to children, young people and their families through change, loss, trauma and grief - whatever the cause.