Exploring approaches and strategies for human services and child-serving institutions to promote resiliency and recovery for children and youth affected by natural disasters

A report of the National Advisory Committee on Children and Disasters

Focusing exclusively on natural disasters, this report reviews the knowledge and practice gains that promote a more rapid and equitable recovery for children and youth through collaboration and established partnerships at all levels: federal, state, tribe, territory and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations that serve children, youth, and their families. This report discusses identified gaps, opportunities and recommendations for continued strengthening of child-serving systems in the community, and identifies specific funding, legal, policy and research implications for future action.

A strong understanding of how disasters impact children and their families informs recommendations on human services preparedness, response, and recovery. The report draws from an extensive literature review and was primarily informed by a series of presentations from subject matter experts (SME) conducted by the Human Services Work Group (HSWG) via video and teleconference meetings. The SMEs who presented to the HSWG are established authorities in this field.

The report considers natural disasters from three points in time: before, during, and after the event. For all three points in time, this report identifies areas where significant progress has been made, as well as existing promising or best practices and recommendations. Recommendations are to be considered by federal, state, tribe, territory, and local levels of government, and by all child-serving organizations. It is essential that the recommendations are integrated and leveraged through partnerships across all levels of government and organizations to be successful in advancing and supporting family and community resilience and activities, policies, funding, and research that effectively promote a more rapid and equitable recovery of children and their families affected by disasters.