Preparing children for climate-related disasters

Abstract

Climate-related disasters affect different dimensions of children’s health and well-being both directly and indirectly. Reducing children’s vulnerability and exposure to climate-related disasters is crucial to protect them against risks. Children as climate-change agents and future leaders at local, national and international level can obviously contribute to reduce vulnerabilities in families and communities and transfer knowledge to them. Moreover, children can advocate for climate change mitigation. In the long term, participation of children in the climate change mitigation programmes may lead to fewer disasters and, consequently, less risk to their health.As government policies have failed to fully address and respond to the drivers of climate-related disasters, disasters preparedness and education for children should be considered an essential activity to protect children from disaster’s risks.Main factors in shaping children’s behaviour and response to disaster are increasing the risk perception and knowledge of the children. When a child perceived likelihood, susceptibility and severity of a disaster (such as earthquake), then they would be able and willing to learn how to prepare for that.So far, disaster education programmes for children have mostly relied on offline school-based training. Different innovative approaches can be applied to continue education within online and digital formats including virtual reality, digital games and online platforms. However, an advocacy support by influential entities such as companies engaged in entertainment industry is required to raise the awareness of public and particularly the children about disaster preparedness.

The Effect of Self-Evacuation Drill on The Preparedness Level of Children with Disabilities in Facing Tornado Disaster

“…Intellectual, physical, and sensory integration disabilities derived limitations in children's ability to understand information and applying new skills, resulting in dependency on their families. Selection of the appropriate learning method can help children's independence in interacting with peers, adults, space, and objects around them (Seddighi et al, 2020), (Maciver et al, 2019). However, the one-way learning method with the focus on the teacher was unable to improve the understanding of children with disabilities.…”

Representation of disasters in school textbooks for children with intellectual disabilities in Iran: A qualitative content analysis

“…In the policies and procedures of such approach, children with disabilities play no part in their preparedness and it is their parents, caregivers, or teachers who help them in time of emergency [26][27][28]. However, some recent studies suggest that while the preparedness of families and teachers of children with disability is necessary, children's preparedness must further be strengthened [29][30][31]. Children with disabilities spend significant time outdoor such as school, on the playground, and with their friends, and they need to be aware of how to respond to hazards while attending outdoor activities [32,33].…”

“…Disasters education in schools is considered a key step in child preparedness in many global frameworks [31]. Therefore, if one intends to see which information is transferred and where the gaps are analyzing, the textbooks of the targeted children will be the key.…”

Disaster Risk Reduction in Iranian Primary and Secondary School Textbooks: A Content Analysis

“…7 Children are one of the most vulnerable groups during natural hazards, which influence different aspects of their well-being, including mental, physical, and social health. [8][9][10] Child labor and child trafficking can be other consequences of natural hazards. 11 Moreover, child abuse often increases after natural hazards.…”