Recovery
Information for early childhood education and care services and outside school hours care services recovering from an emergency or natural disasters, such as bushfires, floods and storms.
Mental health and wellbeing resources
A range of wellbeing resources are available for children, educators, families and the community.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
There is 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.
If at any time you are worried about your mental health 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 55 1800
- Parent Line NSW: 1300 130 052
- Mensline Australia: 1300 789 978
- 13 YARN: 13 92 76
- Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4 636
- Headspace: 1800 650 890
Damage assessments
If your service was damaged as a result of bushfires, floods or other emergencies that have resulted in your service temporarily ceasing operations or operating at a reduced capacity, please contact us for individual advice and support by:
calling 1800 619 113
emailing ececd@det.nsw.edu.au.
Recovery and funding supports
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 Australian Government also has support available including payments for communities which have been impacted by natural disasters.
Service NSW Disaster and emergency assistance for business – access resources if you have been impacted by a disaster.
NSW Government support – financial support for businesses after a disaster.
The Community Child Care Fund – Special Circumstances grants to help services stay open.
Additional Child Care Subsidy – families that are eligible for the Child Care Subsidy may be eligible for the Temporary Financial Hardship Subsidy.
NSW Government Disaster Relief Grants for individuals – financial assistance for eligible individuals and families whose homes have been damaged by a natural disaster.
Access the NSW Disaster Assistance Finder tool to get a personalised list of available programs and services you can apply for.
Contact the business concierge team (through Service NSW Customer Care) Monday to Friday between 8 am to 5 pm by calling 13 77 88 or register for a call back.