Don't leave me alone. - Save the Children Australia

Don’t leave me alone.

Protecting Children in Australian Disasters and Emergencies Government Report Card on Emergency Management Planning 2013

Don’t leave me alone: Protecting Children in Australian Disasters and Emergencies

table of contents:

Photo: Reuters/Mick Tsikas courtesy Trust.org

Introduction 3 Key findings

4

Recommendations

5

Why children need special consideration and protection in emergencies

6

Setting standards: Including children in emergency management plans

7

Plan development

8

Plan content

9

Plan communication

10

Monitoring and implementing

10

Review of current practice’s in emergency management planning for children

11

Methodology

11

Australian Capital Territory

12

New South Wales

13

Northern Territory

14

Queensland

15-16

South Australia

17

Tasmania

18

Victoria

19-20

Western Australia

21-22

The Commonwealth Government

22

Discussion

23

A need for standard practices

23

Stark contrast to planning for animals

24

Limitations of the Report Card

25

Conclusion

25

Endnotes

26

Introduction: Recent disasters in Australia have consistently demonstrated that children need special protection in emergencies both physically and psychologically. The Australian government must ensure that emergency management planning, activities and processes are designed to ensure that children are protected and that this is integrated across the country into routine emergency management planning. Emergency events are becoming more frequent and this trend is predicted to continue and intensify into the future. This Report Card assesses how the needs of children are incorporated into local, state and national emergency management plans.

This report was prepared by Susan Davie, Senior Policy Advisor - Domestic Emergencies. [email protected] Front cover photo: Carol Von Canon. Licence at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0.

There is currently a lack of consistent emergency management planning for the unique needs of children in Australian emergency management plans. This has resulted in the needs of children not being considered in many instances until problems arise during the relief and recovery phases of the emergency leaving children particularly vulnerable.

As a result of recent experience, Save the Children and The Australian Red Cross signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2012 to provide a broad framework for cooperation between the two organisations in identifying and addressing children’s issues before, during and after a disaster. There are many positive activities and relationships that are currently being developed across Australia in relation to planning for the unique needs of children in emergencies. This work should be fostered by all agencies and organisations to ensure that children are protected when emergencies and disasters occur. However, much more needs to be done to develop a standard code of practice to ensure children are safeguarded during emergencies and their needs responded to post-emergencies. Government, not-for-profits and communities need to take responsibility for ensuring that the well-being of children is paramount during and after a disaster or emergency.

4


Findings:

Recommendations:

»» There is currently no standard practice in emergency management planning for the unique needs of children in Australia. This lack of standard planning leaves children even more vulnerable in the aftermath of emergencies.

1. Specific planning for the unique needs of children should be incorporated as a matter of urgency into all emergency management plans at all levels of government.

»» There was no local area planning identified that focused on the most vulnerable children – those who are unaccompanied. »» Children are most often included in plans in a generic statement that lists them with other vulnerable groups including the elderly, disabled and culturally diverse. »» Of the plans that were available for analysis there was no detailed planning that focused on the unique needs of children in emergencies and disasters. »» There is not a standard code of conduct for emergency management staff regarding working with children. »» There is not a consistent procedure across Australia to undertake Working with Children Checks for staff and volunteers who work with children in emergencies. »» There are no clear links between local emergency management plans to the emergency plans of preschools, schools and child care centres.

2. Emergency management plans must clearly allocate responsibility for the needs of children to specific roles or agencies within the plan. This must be clearly communicated to all stakeholders. 3. The Commonwealth, state and territory, regional, district and local councils must consult with child protection experts in the development of emergency management plans. All emergency management committees should review their membership as a matter of priority to ensure that they contain members with child protection expertise. 4. Emergency management plans should provide detailed plans for the following: unaccompanied children, family reunification, Working with Children Checks, child friendly spaces and evacuation centre planning. 5. Emergency management planning should include the needs of children in plan development, plan content, plan communication and plan monitoring and implementation. 6. Local emergency management plans should have clear links with school, kindergarten and child care centre emergency plans.

»» The needs of animals are considered in planning far more than the needs of children.

7. Emergency management planners should consider ways to engage with children to allow them to contribute to plan development and implementation.

»» Less than half of the local government websites in Australia make their emergency management plan available on their website.

8. Emergency management staff and volunteers who work with children should sign a code of conduct for working safely with children. 9. Emergency management exercises should include elements that test the plan in relation to the unique needs of children. 10. All risk assessments contained in emergency management plans should be reviewed with a child lens to ensure that risks and hazards are assessed in relation to the unique vulnerabilities of children.

nsidered o c re a s l ima n a f The needs o planning t n e m e g a n a m y c n in emerge hildren. c f o s d e e n e th n a far more th

11. The development of a national strategy for emergency management planning for children and young people should be considered by the Australia- New Zealand Emergency Management Committee. a. This should link with the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience. b. This should include the development of a national code of conduct for working safely with children in emergencies. This should be read and signed by all emergency management staff and volunteers who work with children in emergencies. c. The formation of a national youth council made up of children and young people should be considered to ensure that children have a voice in emergency management planning at all levels. 12. All local area emergency management plans should be available for community members to access on local government websites. As we head in to the next disaster season in Australia, Save the Children is urgently calling on the government to implement its recommendations to protect children.

6


Photo: 80 trading 24 Licence at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

Why children need special consideration and protection in emergencies: Children are one of the most vulnerable groups when emergencies and disasters occur. Recent experience in Australia has highlighted this with large scale disasters having ongoing consequences for children and young people. An example of the ongoing impact of disasters is evident in the Kinglake Ranges in Victoria following the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires where more than four years after the fires “The Smouldering Stump Campaign” was developed in partnership with schools and community groups to fundraise to support the ongoing needs of children. The campaign launch brochure states “Children and young people continue to struggle with maintaining “normal routines” and parents are exhausted and overwhelmed with the issues that face their children.” [1] This experience is also supported in academic literature, which reports that children have physiological, psychological, developmental and educational vulnerabilities in emergencies and disasters. [2-7] In the United States, The National Commission on Children and Disasters [8] was given the task of carrying out the first ever comprehensive review of disaster related laws regulations, programs and policies to assess their responsiveness to the needs of children and to make recommendations to close critical gaps. The term “benign neglect” was coined by the National Commission on Children and Disasters and describes the neglect of children due to the fact that they are silent in emergency management planning, resulting in their unique needs not being met. This has also been referred to as invisibility of children in emergency management planning by responders to disasters like the 2011 Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami and the 2011 Lorca earthquake in Spain. This is the current situation in Australia as the unique needs of children are not routinely and systematically considered in emergency management planning.

Setting standards: Including children in emergency management plans: Emergency management planners make the assumption that parents, primary caregivers and the education system will take care of the needs of children following emergencies and disasters in Australia. This is evident in emergency management plans that refer to schools being responsible for the evacuation of children and taking care of the welfare of children in emergency recovery. It is also evident more generally in the lack of specific planning for children in emergency management plans. Adults can get caught up in the activities that they must focus on to address immediate needs and this can result in parents and carers not realising the extent of the effects of the emergency or disaster on their children. This is an issue in the immediate aftermath of disasters but as “The Smouldering Stump Campaign” illustrates, it can be a struggle for parents to deal with ongoing and longer term consequences of trauma on their children and community and individual support services are required. The effects of trauma on children’s development can have long term consequences but it must be recognised that post traumatic growth can also occur with emergency events becoming empowering events in children’s lives. Children are not passive members of their families and communities. All Australian emergency management plans including Local Government emergency management plans should address the key areas listed to ensure that children are provided with the best opportunity to prepare for and recover from emergency and disaster events.

All Australian emergency management plans should address the key areas listed to develop a consistent standard of codes and effective practice in ensuring that children are provided with the best opportunity to prepare and recover from emergency and disaster events.

Plan Development

»» Includes expertise in children’s needs »» Consultation of children and young people

Plan Content

»» »» »» »» »» »»

Plan Communication

»» Available and accessible »» Plans link with school plans

Plan Monitoring and Implementation

»» Scheduled audit process »» Training, emergency drills and exercises

Risk registers – child focus Unaccompanied children procedures Reunification procedures Working with Children Checks Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) Evacuation Centre Planning

8


Photo: Save the Children

Plan content: Risk registers – child focus:

emergency management plans are all hazard but also specific to local risks. Many hazards and risks can have a greater impact on children than on adults and this must be acknowledged and planned for. For example children are more susceptible to heat and some infectious diseases like influenza, they are more sensitive to the effects of smoke, chemicals and biological emergencies, and children can be more easily swept away in flood waters. Risk registers should reflect the increased vulnerabilities of children to certain hazards.

Unaccompanied children procedures: all plans should clearly

state that there is a procedure for managing unaccompanied children. This can be a relatively simple operating procedure that outlines who is responsible and what actions should be followed by staff to ensure the wellbeing and safety of children who are alone following emergency events. This should include local statutory mechanisms that are in place to protect children and it is important that this procedure is known and understood by staff and volunteers who work in evacuation centres. This procedure should also be available to the general public as this provides information regarding who to report any concerns to and increases child safeguarding activities more broadly.

Family reunification procedures:

Plan development: Includes expertise in children’s needs: Emergency management plans must be developed with consultation and input

from child experts to ensure the best outcomes for children when their families and communities are affected by emergencies. Even with increased community service organisation participation in emergency management planning there is not necessarily expertise on planning committees with regard to the unique needs of children. Children are uniquely vulnerable when affected by emergencies and specialist knowledge is required to ensure that appropriate personnel are engaged to address such needs. Emergency management planning committees must have members who have expertise in the care of children. These experts can advocate for the needs of children at all stages of emergency management planning.

Consultation of children and young people: children and young people should also be consulted in the development of emergency management plans. There should be a concerted effort to provide opportunity to allow children’s voices to be heard in emergency management planning across the; prevent, prepare, respond and recover spectrum. Emergency management practitioners should develop processes to engage with children and allow them to have a say and take part in the development of emergency management plans. This is an activity that will make a valuable contribution to building broader community resilience.

evacuation centre plans should contain a procedure for family reunification. If an emergency is large enough the National Registration and Inquiry Service will be activated however this is not the case for the majority of emergencies. Ideally, a space should be identified in evacuation centres to allow families some privacy at least initially, when families are reunited. Family reunification procedures tie closely with the procedure for unaccompanied children.

Working with Children Checks: plans should be explicit regarding which staff will be working with children and supervising those who are taking care of children. Working with Children Checks are not a standard process across Australia, however it is vital to consider in the planning phase who will be taking care of children if required. Credentialed staff should be identified during planning and these staff should be included in plans. For example those who work in children’s services who understand the developmental and emotional needs of children. Child Friendly Spaces (CFS): CFS

are important designated areas within evacuation centres established to protect children from physical harm and psychosocial distress. They provide an area where qualified staff can offer children the opportunity to participate in organised play and supervised activities. This model provides psychosocial support to children and gives parents the opportunity to organise immediate needs without their children having to hear sometimes difficult and upsetting adult conversations. [9]

Evacuation centre planning: Evacuation centre planning must take into account the needs of infants, young children and adolescents. The needs of pregnant women and breast feeding mothers should also be considered in the planning phase. The inclusion of a CFS will help to address many areas relating to child safeguarding in the evacuation centre however there are issues of appropriate nutrition and supplies that must be included in planning. This planning also ties in with Working with Children Check planning.

10


Photo: Jim Holmes/Save the Children Australia

Review of current practices in emergency management planning for children: Methodology: Local government, unincorporated areas and alpine authority websites were accessed during March and April 2013. The websites were searched to access the local government emergency management plan. 570 websites were accessed and 239 plans were available to view. These plans were then analysed focusing on information that specifically relates to the needs of children.

State and territory emergency management plans were also analysed to assess the level of planning for the needs of children. Letters were sent to the Attorney General and state and territory Ministers who have responsibility for emergency management seeking their input into this report card. Their responses have been included in the analysis.

Summary: »»

»» »»

»»

Plan communication: Available and accessible: Local, state and territory and federal emergency management plans should be publicly available and accessible to community members.

Linkages: during school hours children will be in the care of the education system and child care providers who have

emergency management plans in place. It is important that these plans link with other local emergency management plans and these links should be clearly articulated in local emergency management plans. Parents should also be informed of emergency management procedures that are in place for child care centres, kindergartens and schools. The process for informing parents should form part of the plan.

Culturally diverse: the plans should also be available in different languages that reflect the cultural make up of

local communities.

Monitoring and implementing: Scheduled audit process: Plans should be monitored as part of a regular audit process. It is vital that audit questions and criteria contain specific questions regarding planning for children. This should include who will be working with children in emergencies and what special training is undertaken regarding the needs of children in emergencies. The specific activities that address the needs of children when emergencies occur should also be clear in the plans. Training, emergency drills and exercises: it is important to implement the practices and procedures that are contained in the plan. This may involve staff training regarding the special needs of children especially in the relief and recovery phases of emergencies. Although children may be involved in drills at child care and school, it may not be advisable to include children in emergency services exercises. However all emergency exercises should contain elements that test the plan in relation to the unique needs of children.

»»

239 local emergency management along with state and territory emergency management plans were analysed. Each state and territory government was contacted requesting any further information that the states would like reflected in this report card. 15% (37 out of 239) of local plans analysed made no mention of children, infants or young people. Overall if children are named in emergency management plans it is a cursory mention. There is no detailed planning that focuses on the unique needs of children in emergencies and disasters. This means that particular activities that are focused on the needs of children are not developed, and responsibility for taking care of children in emergencies is not generally specifically allocated. By far the area that mentions children the most is with regard to vulnerable populations. Although it is important to recognise that children are vulnerable they are usually mentioned along with the aged, disabled and culturally diverse groups and not as a separate uniquely vulnerable population. The needs of children in emergencies is quite different to the needs of those who are elderly, disabled or who require culturally sensitive assistance and this is not generally recognised or reflected in emergency management planning.

12


Australian Capital Territory: ACT

Local

Plan Development »» Includes expertise in children’s needs »» Children’s voice Plan Content »» Risk registers – child focus »» Unaccompanied children procedures »» Reunification procedures »»

Evidence »»

»»

Working with Children Checks

»» Child Friendly Spaces CFS »» Evacuation Centre Planning Plan Communication »» Available and accessible »» Plans link with school plans Plan Monitoring & Implementation »» Scheduled audit process »» Training and exercises

State

Some evidence »»

No evidence

New South Wales:

Notes

NSW

»»

»»

The ACT government recognise that children are a vulnerable group in emergencies and are undertaking a review of the ACT Community Recovery Plan in 2013. Funded by the federal government, the ACT have produced a document titled Your guide to preparing for an emergency, think ahead, be ready, stay safe. This is a guide to assist families and individuals to prepare for emergencies and recognises that children may need special protection in some instances (for example in the event of a heatwave and not allowing children to play in floodwater). First aid training was provided by St John Ambulance across ACT schools aims to better prepare children for a range of emergency situations and recognises the contribution that children can make in community preparedness and recovery. This project was funded by the federal government.

Working with Children Checks: the ACT administers the working with vulnerable people background check for individuals working or volunteering in activities or services for children. The check is valid for three years.

Local

State

Plan Development »» Includes expertise in children’s needs »» Children’s voice Plan Content »» Risk registers – child focus »» Unaccompanied children procedures »» Reunification procedures

Children are included with vulnerable groups.

It is not clear if WWCC are required for staff working in emergency management.

»»

Some evidence »»

No evidence

Notes

Family and Community Services staff working in evacuation centres have WWCC.


Key reference: »» The NSW State EMPLAN »» The NSW State Recovery Plan »» 54 Local Government Emergency Management Plans

Evidence »»



Key reference: »» ACT Emergency Plan »» Your guide to preparing for an emergency, think ahead, be ready, stay safe

Summary:

»»

»» »»

Special Fire Protection Purpose webpage Bushfire Risk Management Plans webpage

NSW State Government: »»

»»

»»

»»

The NSW EMPLAN is a high level strategic document and policy overview of emergency management arrangements in NSW. The EMPLAN does not provide specific planning for children in emergencies. The State Recovery Plan mentions support for children as part of a vulnerable population along with elderly and disabled community members. Family and Community Services (FACS) plan for vulnerable groups, which include children however the State Recovery Plan does not contain detailed planning for the unique needs of children. Family and Community Services (FACS) staff who work in and manage evacuation centres, are required to have Working with Children Checks. FACS staff are also conversant in the referral processes and appropriate responses for dealing with either an unaccompanied minor, or a child at risk who is present with their family. The NSW Rural Fire Service undertake a number of activities that focus on children in emergencies including: fire safety and bushfire briefings and education sessions, cadet program, special fire protection purpose (SFPP) and bush fire risk management plans (BFRMP). However, it is not clear that education provider’s emergency plans are linked in with other emergency management plans and communicated to all stakeholders. Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) address the specific needs and developmental stages of children and young people through promoting and providing fire safety education and resilience in the prevention,

»»

preparation and response phases of emergencies. They also conduct a rescue education program targeting a teenage audience promoting road safety. These programs are complemented by the “Brigade Kids” and “Triple Zero Kids Challenge” websites. NSW SES local flood emergency sub plans detail child-related emergency management information, including the roles and responsibilities of schools and childcare centre operators along with emergency management arrangements of children at risk of potential isolation and evacuation. It is unclear how flood plans link with local school and childcare centre plans.

Working with Children Checks: NSW has a new, online Working with Children Check that covers more people, is more comprehensive and provides better protection for children. The new model is also consistent with other state and territory checks, providing a starting point for a National Working with Children Check. The check is valid for 5 years.

NSW Local Government: »» »»

21 of the 54 Local government plans analysed mention children as part of a vulnerable population in NSW. 54% (29 of 54) of plans available for review contained standard wording regarding warnings that referred to providing information on arrangements for children in schools. This is included in a standard message with a large amount of information for many sections of the community. The plans are not clear about what the links are between schools and local emergency management plans.

14


Northern Territory: NT

Local

Plan Development »» Includes expertise in children’s needs »» Children’s voice Plan Content »» Risk registers – child focus »» Unaccompanied children procedures »»

Reunification procedures

»»



Evidence »»

»» State

Some evidence »»

No evidence

Queensland:

Notes

Queensland



»»

»»

»»

»»

Only two plans were available on local government websites from the Northern Territory. Both plans mention children as part of vulnerable populations along with the elderly, disabled and those who are directly affected by the emergency. One of the plans mentions household evacuation kits and makes reference to the need to include baby items. Providing information to communities that focuses on preparation for the needs of children of all ages is an important preparedness activity.

Some evidence »»

No evidence

Notes



Other: »» The Goondiwindi council plan mentions Facebook with regard to public information. This was the only reference that was found that mentioned innovative and age considerations of communicating with young people during an emergency; however there was no indication that this form of communication would be used in future emergency events.

Queensland State Government: »»

»»

children in certain specified areas of employment to hold a Working with Children Clearance Notice. Everyone who is issued with a Working with Children Clearance Notice will also receive an Ochre Card which is valid for two years.

»»

State

Evidence »»

Key reference: »» Interim Queensland State Disaster Management Plan 2012 »» Operation Queenslander. The State Community, Economic and Environmental Recovery & Reconstruction Plan 2011-2013 »» 48 Local Government Emergency Management Plans

Working with Children Check: in the Northern Territory it is mandatory for people who have contact or potential contact with

Territory Local Government:



Territory Government: The Northern Territory All Hazards Emergency Management Arrangements involve the Department of Children and Families who represent the interest of children through their representation on the Emergency Shelter, Public Health, Information and Welfare response and recovery functional group. This ensures that advocacy for the needs of children are included in emergency plan preparation. Recovery provisions under the arrangements support a return to normality including areas that affect children, such as the reopening of schools that have been affected by a disaster. This is an important activity that will assist children to cope with the effects of an emergency or disaster by re-establishing normal routines as quickly as possible. The Northern Territory Government maintains the view that education and preparation for a disaster makes a significant impact in reducing the trauma that is experienced by affected communities, especially children. Emergency management education is delivered through: - The national ‘Natural Hazards Children’s Education and Awareness Program’ - ‘Dingo Creek – The Disaster’ aimed at middle year students - ‘Tsunami Community Education Kit for Aboriginal Australians in Remote Coastal Communities through remote communities’ schools. There is a focus on building resilience through community members by providing comprehensive local information about hazards and risks, including who is exposed and who is most vulnerable.

Local


Key reference: »» Northern Territory All Hazards Emergency Management Arrangements »» 2 Local Government Emergency Management Plans

»»

»»

»»

The Queensland State Disaster Plan lists the Department of Education Training and Employment as having a role in the safety and wellbeing of students and to ensure that state instructional institutions have documented emergency management plans. This ensures that there is advocacy for the needs of children however it is not clear how the instructional institution plans connect with other local emergency management plans. The Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (DCCSDS) is responsible for managing human and social recovery operations following disaster events. DCCSDS are increasingly integrating Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) into evacuation and recovery centres where ever possible. CFS have been provided in recent emergencies in Queensland by Save the Children, Australian Red Cross and Uniting Care Community. DCCSDS has also provided counselling and community development activities that focus on supporting children impacted by disasters as part of their response to Tropical Cyclone and Oswald. These services have focused on the most impacted areas of Bundaberg and North Burnett. Child specific counselling and community development activities should be included in all emergency management plans.

Working with Children Checks: Working with Children Checks are undertaken under the blue card system in Queensland and contribute to the creation of safe and supportive environments for children and young people when receiving services and participating in activities which are essential to their development and wellbeing, such as child care, education, sport, and cultural activities. Blue cards are valid for 3 years.

16


Photo: Reuters/Lucas Jackson, courtesy Trust.org

South Australia: South Australia

»» Local

Plan Development »» Includes expertise in children’s needs »» Children’s voice Plan Content »» Risk registers – child focus »» Unaccompanied children procedures »»


»»



State

Evidence

Some evidence »»

No evidence

Notes


A police clearance is the check used in South Australia. It is not clear if these checks are required for staff working in emergency management.

Key reference: »» South Australia State Emergency Management Plan »» 20 Local Government Emergency Management Plans Other: »» A youth advisory committee was referred to in one plan in relation to council services that may decrease the impact of an emergency. Identified as an excellent way to engage and communicate with young people, ideally this committee could be consulted during plan development and contribute to plan content.

Queensland Local Government: »»

»»

»»

48 local government plans were available for analysis and children were mentioned as having particular vulnerability to risks in 31% of these plans (15 out of 48). This was in relation to heat and influenza. 13 plans mention school children being the focus of education prior to the cyclone season in a standard paragraph. ‘Prior to the onset of the traditional wet season additional public education will be undertaken by the State Emergency Service and Queensland Fire and Rescue Service. The focus of this education will be school aged children.’ This education activity is important because children also take preparedness messages home and encourage family preparation for potential emergencies. The Goondiwindi council plan mentions Facebook with regard to public information. This was the only reference that was found that mentioned innovative and age considerations of communicating with young people during an emergency; however there was no indication that this form of communication would be used in future emergency events.

South Australian State Government: »»

»»

The South Australian State Emergency Management Plan lists the Department of Education and Child Development as members of the state emergency management committee. The department has responsibility for the evacuation of schools and child care facilities. It is not clear how the departments’ evacuation plans link with local emergency management plans. The South Australian State Emergency Management Plan mentions the role of the Department for Education and Child Development in evacuation of schools and child care centres. Allocating a role for evacuation of schools and child care centres is important to ensure that plans are developed however there is no information regarding linking this planning with local emergency management plans.

Working with Children Check: people in SA who work in jobs which require regular contact with children are required to obtain police clearance before they commence employment. This is a summary of an individual’s offender history.

South Australian Local Government: »» »»

7 of the 20 plans analysed (35%) mentioned that children are part of vulnerable populations along with elderly, disabled and linguistically diverse and along with those who live in areas prone to disaster. A youth advisory committee was referred to in one plan in relation to council services that may decrease the impact of an emergency. Identified as an excellent way to engage and communicate with young people, ideally this committee could be consulted during plan development and contribute to plan content.

18


Tasmania: Tasmania

»» Local

Plan Development »» Includes expertise in children’s needs »» Children’s voice Plan Content »» Risk registers – child focus »» Unaccompanied children procedures »» »»

State

Evidence »»

Some evidence »»

No evidence

Victoria:

Notes

Victoria


»» Child Friendly Spaces CFS »» Evacuation Centre Planning Plan Communication »» Available and accessible »» Plans link with school plans Plan Monitoring & Implementation »» Scheduled audit process »» Training and exercises Key reference: »» The Tasmanian State EMPLAN »» The Tasmanian State Recovery Plan

The Tasmanian Government do not require those working with children to undertake a police check. It is not clear if police checks are required for staff who work in emergency management.

»» »»

»»

»» »» »»

»»

»»

Working with Children Checks: currently there are no legal requirements for people working with children to undertake a police check in Tasmania, however, organisations which require employees and / or volunteers to work with children may have their own policies in this regard.

Tasmanian Local Government: »»

18 local government plans were analysed from Tasmania. Nine of these included children as part of vulnerable populations along with the aged, disabled and non–English speaking communities.

Evidence »»

Some evidence »»

No evidence

Notes




Key reference: »» The Emergency Management Manual of Victoria »» State Emergency Recovery Plan webpage »» Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Bushfire At Risk Register webpage »» Red Cross Emergency Relief Handbook, A planning guide »» Emergency management planning for children and young people – planning guide for local government »» 49 Local Government Emergency Management Plans

Tasmanian Fire Service, Community Protection Plans webpage 54 Local Government Emergency Management Plans

The Tasmanian Government considers planning for the needs of vulnerable members of the community, including children to be essential and has recently supported a plan to focus the work of the NSDR on improving the resilience of vulnerable members of the community, including children. The Tasmanian Emergency Management Plan lists care for children as a recovery function with both government and NGO partner’s assigned responsibility. The Department of Health and Human Services is named as the primary agency for the area of children, assisted by the Department of Education and NGO’s The Tasmanian State Emergency Management Committee has prioritised support for vulnerable people in an emergency. This has resulted in Tasmanian SES undertaking a project tilted: ‘Development of Emergency Management Arrangements for Vulnerable Members of Tasmanian Communities’. The outputs for this project will build on current state, regional and local emergency management planning for vulnerable people and groups, including children and young people, during an emergency. The Tasmanian Fire Service plans for children as part of vulnerable populations and includes developing a range of plans for bushfire-prone communities across Tasmania, and working closely with the Department of Education and non-government schools to conduct the Bushfire-Ready Schools initiative. These plans include the location of groups of vulnerable people including children, requiring assistance or protection during a bushfire event. The Tasmanian SES is currently transitioning to a new website that will include disaster awareness material targeting vulnerable individuals, including children and youth.

State


Other: »» The Gannawarra shire plan mentions a recovery service called “Chances for Children”. A fund to assist children and young people who are unable to continue their participation in school and/or extra-curricular activities due to their family’s financial circumstance. This local government initiative recognises the need for children and young people to stay connected following emergencies and that this can be a problem for families who may suffer financial hardship as a result of the emergency.

Tasmanian State Government: »»

Local




»»

Victorian State Government: »»

»»

»»

The Victorian government has been leading the development of planning for children in emergencies with a number of activities that address children’s unique needs. The emergency management manual of Victoria (EMMV) recognises that children are uniquely vulnerable and that they require targeted planning. The EMMV notes that there is a lack of advocacy for children and that young people can contribute to emergency recovery planning. It highlights the need for local government emergency management plans to reflect the needs of children. The Victorian Government has developed an Emergency Management Planning guide for Children and Young people with a funding grant from the Commonwealth. This planning guide is being rolled out to local councils across Victoria. This guide provides straight forward advice on planning for children in emergency management plans. [10]

»»

»»

The Victorian Government undertook a workshop in August 2013 to facilitate preparation of a number of papers focusing on emergency management planning for children for submission to the Australian Journal of Emergency Management. A number of papers were prepared and submitted for a special children and youth edition of the journal planned for early 2014. This workshop was funded by a grant from the federal government. The Emergency Relief Handbook produced by Health and Human Services Emergency Management in collaboration with Victorian Red Cross has been reviewed and updated in 2013 to make specific reference for the need for Child Friendly Spaces in evacuation centres. The handbook also references the nutritional needs of infants and young children and recommends planning for unaccompanied children and Working with Children Checks for staff who work in relief centres.

20


Photo: torbakhopper Licence at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

Western Australia: Western Australia

»» Local

State

Plan Development »» Includes expertise in children’s needs »» Children’s voice Plan Content »» Risk registers – child focus »» Unaccompanied children procedures »» Reunification procedures »»

Evidence »»

Some evidence »»

No evidence

Notes





Key reference: »» Government of Western Australia State Emergency Management Plan for the Provision of Welfare Support »» Western Australia State Level Recovery Plan for State Level Recovery Coordination »» SEMC secretariat State Level Emergency Management Plans webpage »» 48 Local Government Emergency Management Plans Other: »» Wiluna, Cue and Victoria Plains municipalities refer to school plans which ensure that the special needs of children are safeguarded in emergencies. These three plans contained the only reference found that explicitly mentions child safeguarding in emergencies. However there was no detail regarding the content of these plans.

»»

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development plans include schools, kindergartens and child care facilities at the highest risk of fire danger being placed on the Department’s Bushfire At-Risk Register. Inclusion on this register is a trigger for the school, kindergarten or child care facility to pre-emptively close on days declared Code Red in their Bureau of Meteorology district.

Working with Children Checks: The Victorian government provides for screening and certification for individuals to undertake

child-related work. This working with children certification remains valid for 5 years and must then be renewed.

Victorian Local Government: »» »»

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In the 49 plans that were analysed from Victoria, children were mentioned as part of vulnerable populations most frequently. In 13 plans, a brief children’s support plan was included and recognised that children under 12 years of age (or in some cases under 18 years of age) required specialised services, and responsibility for planning for the needs of children was specifically allocated. However there was no detail with regard to this support plan that was publicly available. 14 plans referred to Council roles and recovery planning in relation to children’s services. This was supported by references to child and youth service providers, however there was no detailed planning available. Victoria was the only state that referred to the need for Working with Children Checks being required for those who will be taking care of children in relief and recovery particularly in reference to volunteers. This was written in the Knox, Moyne and West Wimmera municipal emergency management plans. The Gannawarra shire plan mentions a recovery service called “Chances for Children”. A fund to assist children and young people who are unable to continue their participation in school and/or extra-curricular activities due to their family’s financial circumstance. This local government initiative recognises the need for children and young people to stay connected following emergencies and that this can be a problem for families who may suffer financial hardship as a result of the emergency.

WA State Government: »»

The Department for Child Protection and Family Support has responsibility for the provision of welfare support for families and individuals affected by emergencies. This is realised through “Westplans” which detail higher level organisation and coordination arrangements with on the ground management of emergency welfare support services based on the daily operating structures of the Department. These processes guide support and protection of children in emergencies. Many staff who work in evacuation centres undertake child protection as their core daily work and are familiar with the varying needs of families and children. In the rare situation where there is an unaccompanied minor, the process is to take the child into the care of the Department for Child Protection until their circumstances can be clarified.

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The Department for Child Protection also provide a number of services for families who are affected by emergencies, this includes the provision of emergency kits which include essentials such as nappies, formula, toys and child related activities. The Department supports access to childcare and playgroups and has the capacity for qualified staff to conduct activities for children. They also facilitate access to longer term counselling if required. The State Welfare Emergency Committee has a membership that includes child and youth expertise, this is important for plan development and plan content. All emergency plans should contain detailed information regarding activities that protect children in emergencies.

Working with Children Check: Western Australia has a Working with Children Check which aims to increase the safety of children by helping to prevent people who have a criminal history that indicates they may harm children from working with children. The check is valid for three years.

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WA Local Government: »» »»

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48 local government emergency plans were publicly available in Western Australia with 14 (29%) mentioning children in evacuation centre planning Support agencies for children were mentioned in 11 plans however it is not clear what services these agencies would undertake in the context of disasters and emergencies. It is also not clear whether these agencies have a role in developing the emergency management plans in which they are named. Children were mentioned in nine plans with relation to being a vulnerable group and that they may be at some additional risk in an emergency. There was no detailed planning which specifically addressed the unique needs of children. Wiluna, Cue and Victoria Plains municipalities refer to school plans which ensure that the special needs of children are safeguarded in emergencies. These three plans contained the only reference found that explicitly mentions child safeguarding in emergencies. However there was no detail regarding the content of these plans.

Photo: Annie Bodmer-Roy/Save the Children Australia

The Commonwealth Government: »»

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The commonwealth Government administers the Australian Emergency Management Arrangements, which focuses on the legal and administrative arrangements for emergency management. However, this document has no mention of children or providing assistance for their unique needs. The National Strategy for Disaster Resilience (NSDR) [11] recognises the need for cooperation and shared responsibility between government, business and community to build resilience to disasters. The NSDR also recognises that some members of the community are more vulnerable and that age may be a factor. No specific reference to addressing children’s unique needs, engaging children nor mention of the contribution that children and young people can make to increasing community resilience is evident. The new Bushfire and Natural Hazard Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC) recently endorsed a project titled Building best practice in child centred disaster risk reduction. One key output of this project will be to contribute to debate and discussion about how child centred disaster risk reduction programming can be applied in the Australian context.

A need for standard practices:

The Attorney General’s Department: »»

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The Attorney General’s Department is currently engaged in a range of activities and projects in giving evidence of support and priority to addressing the needs of children in disaster resilience: The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) are including disaster resilience education in the Australian Curriculum under the areas of Geography, Health and Physical Education and Civics and Citizenship. The Disaster Resilient Australia School Education Network (DRASEN) consists of representatives from the Attorney-General’s Department, Educational Departments/ Authorities, state and territory emergency service agencies, academics, NGO’s and co-opted specialists. The DRASEN facilitates knowledge sharing, provides strategic advice and brings synergy to disaster resilience education, relevant to the new Australian school curriculum. The Disaster Resilience Education for Schools website: http://schools.aemi.edu.au. This website is a curriculumaligned resource for teachers and students, which contains publications and interactive learning games designed to prepare children for emergencies.

DISCUSSION:

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Before the Storm is an interactive game available as a mobile phone app (also available online at http://aemi.edu.au/beforethestorm). It is an educational game for middle year students designed to get them thinking about storm preparation and disaster resilience. A free Education Resource Kit (containing DVD, games, posters and brochures) aimed at children to raise awareness on hazards and disasters is available to all schools. Two key funding initiatives by the Attorney-General’s Department which support disaster resilience projects: the Natural Disaster Resilience Program (jointly funded with states and territories under a National Partnership Agreement) and the National Emergency Management Projects funding.

The review of current practices in emergency management planning for children revealed that there is no standard practice with regard to planning for the unique needs of children in local government emergency management plans. Although many plans make mention of children as a particularly vulnerable population they do not separate children from other vulnerable groups. This means that children are considered along with aged, disabled and culturally diverse groups. This leaves children in an even more vulnerable position as it underestimates the importance of the need for consultation and input from those who have specific expertise with regard to the unique needs and protection of infants, children and young people. Children’s special needs were occasionally mentioned in evacuation centre planning. The need for child care was mentioned the most. Only three plans from Victoria made mention of any sort of credentialing for staff or volunteers with regard to access to children in the relief stage of an emergency. Special dietary requirements were not mentioned and the requirements of infants were not generally considered, this can place a significant health risk onto infants as they are at increased risk of dehydration and are particularly vulnerable to gastrointestinal illness if formula is not prepared and stored appropriately. It is essential that the needs of this group are considered in planning. [12]

It is important that staff and volunteers in emergency responses are skilled at managing children at all stages of development and with varying health and behavioural needs, especially at a time when the children may be feeling increased anxiety, fear and stress. This raises the issue of appropriate staff training regarding the needs of children in emergency situations. There should be a concerted effort to include training that focuses on the unique needs and vulnerabilities of children in emergency management training programs. The lack of formal procedures to screen those who work with children is also a major risk management issue for evacuation centre managers as it allows volunteers access to children with no safeguards in place. Only three plans contain one sentence that uses language that references child safeguarding. Child safeguarding must become a central part of all emergency management plans and this report card has confirmed that this is an area that is currently not generally considered by emergency management planners.

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Photo: Reuters/Francis Vallance courtesy www.alertnet.org

Stark contrast to planning for animals: It is startling to note that while there is little in emergency management plans that provide any detail on how to manage the needs of children in emergencies there is much more planning when it comes to managing the needs of animals. Of the 239 the local government plans that were available 97% (232 out of 239) made reference to planning for animals in some way and many of the plans contained detailed information regarding the needs of animals. Pets, livestock and wildlife were all referred to with some plans containing detailed information for managing each group of animals. This is in stark contrast when compared to how children are included in emergency management plans. Animals are separated into various sub groups that clearly have different needs, however children are included as a homogenous population which does not take into account the differences between babies, young children and adolescents. In fact children are also absorbed into a broader vulnerable grouping that has them considered with the elderly, disabled and culturally diverse. Reference was made to animal sub plans in some local government emergency management plans and some plans linked to state animal welfare plans and to national animal welfare plans. This is a stark contrast to planning for the needs of children where there are no overarching plans that focus on caring for this most vulnerable group. Areas included in the plans are: - Animal specific risks especially with relation to animal diseases. - Council staff responsibilities with regard to the needs of animals in emergencies. - State government department responsibilities with regard to the needs of animals. - References to linked animal welfare plans both state and national. - Evacuation centre planning for the needs of animals. - Plans for fodder and pet food. - Lists of support agencies and their roles supporting animals. - Plans for shelter for animals and animal housing.

Limitations of the Report Card: A need for standard practices: This report card has a number of limitations. Local government websites were accessed to download plans that are publicly available. There were 331 websites that did not have a plan available. Even when the overarching local government emergency management plan is available, analysis is limited due to the lack of access to various sub plans. The most important of these would be relief and recovery sub plans which may contain more specific information with regard to the needs of infants, children and young people. It is also possible that plans that were available on websites were not the most current plan. The earliest plan that was reviewed was dated 2004 and it is likely that many plans have been reviewed and updated but the latest version not available on websites.

conclusion: This report card has revealed a lack of consistent emergency management planning for the unique needs of children. Children should be prioritised in emergency management planning and their needs addressed in the four key areas of plan development, content, communication and monitoring and implementing. This can be achieved as part of regular plan review and update. Reviewing plans should include input from those with expertise in the needs of infants, children and young people. Ideally, children and young people should have the opportunity to contribute to local area emergency management planning. Save the Children will repeat the report card process in the future to report progress and ensure that children are no longer overlooked when plans are reviewed.

Save the Children will partner with Monash University to write to all local governments in 2014 seeking access to their municipal emergency management plans. This will allow a more complete analysis of the plans which will be assessed for in the key areas of: - Plan development - Plan content - Plan communication - Monitoring and implementing This work will provide updated information for future report cards to track progress in planning for the unique needs of children in Australia’s emergency management plans.

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END NOTES: 1. The Smouldering Stump Campaign Flyer, in Collaboration between community and schools. 2013. 2. Flynn, B.W. and M.E. Nelson, Understanding the needs of children following large scale disasters and the role of government. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 3. Peek, L., Children and Disasters: Understanding Vulnerability, Developing Capacities, and Promoting Resilience - An Introduction. Children, Youth and Environments, 2008. 18(1): p. 1-29. 4. Allen, G.M., et al., Principles of Disaster Planning for the Pediatric Population. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 2007. November - December 2007. 5. Anderson, W.A., Bringing Children into Focus on the Social Science Disaster Research Agenda. International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, 2005. 23(3): p. 159-175. 6. Brandenburg, M.A. and W.L. Arneson, Pediatric disaster response in developed countries: Ten guiding principles. American Journal of Disaster Medicine, 2007. 2(3): p. 151-162. 7. Madrid, P.A., et al., Short-term Impact of a Major Disaster on Children’s Mental Health: Building Resiliency in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Pediatrics, 2006. 117(5): p. s448-s453. 8. Federal Emergency Managemetn Agency, National Commission on Children and Disasters. 2010. Available at http://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/nccd/20110427002908/http:/www.childrenanddisasters.acf.hhs.gov/index.html 9. Child Friendly Spaces in Australian Emergencies. 2013, Save the Children Australia. 10. Department of Human Services. Emergency Management planning for children and young people. Planning guide for local government. Avialabe at http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/plans,-programs-and-projects/plans-and-strategies/ emergency-management/emergency-management-planning-for-children-and-young-people 11. Council Of Australian Governments, National Strategy for Disaster Resilience. 2011. 12. Gribble, K. and N. Berry, Emergency preparedness for those who care for infants in developed country contexts. International Breastfeeding Journal, 2011. 6(16).

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Save the Children is the world’s leading independent humanitarian relief and development organisation for children. We protect and support children in need. We stand up for children’s rights. We work in every state and territory. We have more than 90 years’ experience working with vulnerable children and are one of the world’s most experienced agencies in disaster relief and humanitarian aid. For more information, please contact Susan Davie, Senior Policy Advisor Domestic Emergencies: [email protected].