Helping children and adolescents recover from disaster: a review of teacher-based support programs in Victorian schools

Abstract

Children and adolescents are among the most vulnerable in the aftermath of a disaster. Following the devastating Victorian bushfires in 2009 the Victorian Department of Education, in partnership with Phoenix Australia: Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health and a child adolescent mental health expert, adapted two U.S. programs that provide teachers with knowledge and skills to support child and adolescent recovery in the school setting. This paper provides an overview of the two-phased approach to teacher training. The first phase was the development of a manual, Psychological First Aid and Mental Health First Aid: A Guide for Teachers. The first component, Psychological First Aid, is design..