A transcript of the video Supporting children through a bushfire crisis.

Rose Glassock

Hi I'm Rose Glassock. I'm a psychologist with the Department of Education and I've had experience supporting the community and the schools with disaster recovery following bushfires.

On screen text

What impact can bushfires have on children?

Rose Glassock

The most common emotions would be fear, and sadness, anxiety and confusion. But most of the time what we're looking for is how that might translate to their behaviour.

It could be eating more, eating less. Sleeping more, sleeping less, often a regression in their behaviour. So with little kids it might be that they're more clingy, a bit more separation anxiety and one of the other things is just a general sense of being more irritable.

On screen text

What can adults do to help?

Rose Glassock

If we're looking at things that we can actively do to support young people - just generally that reassurance, whether that's little snuggles on the couch or cuddles or bedtime stories, or the things that you usually do to make your child feel safe.

One of the things for older children is that they can take a much greater roll maybe in the family preparation, so being maybe more active in the preparedness.

Really be clear in talking with your young people about the fact that the threat is over. So often the stories on the media will continue, but to really explicitly make sure that your family know 'right - we're ok now, we're feeling safe now.'

And even if your home is under threat from a fire, that as the adult, you're aware of what's going on, you have a plan, and we will enact that plan.

On screen text

When should we seek extra support?

Rose Glassock

Most children and young people recover with no real additional psychological support.

It's really about when is that behaviour that we might say in the beginning 'that's a normal response' is extending for a longer period of time or it's really starting to have an additional impact on their life.

On screen text

Where can we get more help?

Rose Glassock

So parents can always contact their school. Often the first port of call is the classroom teacher or maybe in high school, it's the year adviser. The schools also have school counselors who will be available to offer extra support.

And on the Department of Education website - there's a lot of helpful resources that can be also really useful for families to have a look at.