CHILDREN IN CRISIS SITUATIONS

The two crisis situations that I decided to write about are hurricanes and working in a daycare in a high crime area. Hurricanes are an act of nature, they are strong storms that may cause flooding, high winds and tornadoes that cause life and property threats. They can occur at any time, or anywhere. Hurricanes usually occur in southeastern states but on 8/28/11, New York City had a hurricane. Earthquakes are more likely to occur in California but on 8/23/11, NYC had an earthquake. The safety of the children is of utmost importance. The children and the staff members are at risk.

Being prepared for disaster will decrease anxiety among caregivers, anxiety will be there but it is important to have a plan in place. All environments should have a written evacuation plan. Caregivers must inform families where their children will be taken in case of emergency. Drills should be given bi monthly to ensure the correct evacuation procedure will be followed to eliminate any chance of danger.

In the 2^nd scenario, injury or loss of life of children or teachers is also pertinent.  Violence is not foreseen, can occur at any time, and a emergency plan must be in place just in case. A silent buzzer could be used to alert the authorities in case of any criminal activity. A planned response to violence should be talked about and agreed upon before it occurs. (Robertson,2010).  A code phrase should be agreed upon prior to the incident, in order to not alarm the students. Not being prepared can result in chaos, injury or emotional anxiety for you or the children in your care.

In the case of non life threatening injuries, first aid kits, family emergency contact lists and locations in case of emergency relocations should have been distributed to parents prior to the crisis.

Reference

Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education (4^th ed.). Belmont,CA:Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.