Turning the focus to children, child care after the flood
klykins@tntech.edu
Office of Communications & Marketing
A child’s need for crayons and paper may seem trivial during area flood recovery efforts, but to children who have lost familiar surroundings and whose parents must work, these items are part of successfully rebuilding their lives.
A community’s recovery from a disaster or emergency goes beyond initial rescue and cleanup efforts—it hinges on the ability to insure infants, toddlers and older children stay safe and secure, says Betty Vaudt, project manager for Upper Cumberland Child Care Resource and Referral housed at Tennessee Tech University.
“If area child care isn’t up and running after a disaster, people can’t go back to work,” said Vaudt. “We’re learning that a community’s economic recovery depends on having a system in place to respond to the needs of children.”
The National Commission on Children and Disasters supported Vaudt’s assertion when it presented a report to Congress late last year to summarize how children have been affected by Hurricane Katrina and other disasters. The commission released a report calling child care “an essential human service” to help expedite recovery. While parents visit damaged property, apply for public benefits, search for employment and housing, and rebuild their lives, their children need quality care.
In response to the report, several midstate agencies established the “Children in Disasters Upper Cumberland Project” with the following goals:
- Train and assist child care workers in developing comprehensive disaster plans for their facilities
- Collect and pre-position specific critical care and developmental care items for use in mass care emergency shelters, evacuation centers, or other official sites in the event of a local disaster
- Recruit and train child care workers to serve as volunteers in disaster centers
- Involve local churches and organizations in the Upper Cumberland in a collaborative effort to provide the best care possible for children when tornadoes or other events hit close to home.
“We began the project never thinking that something like flood would happen,” said Vaudt, “but now we are seeing how relevant this plan is.
“The Red Cross is very good meeting basic needs in the immediate days following a disaster, but toddlers need entertainment,” said Vaudt. “So our plan has two prongs: provide basic critical care and then address the developmental needs of children.”
Project organizers have created a booklet outlining 11 collections; they include basic items such as formula and diapers as well as age appropriate developmental toys and supplies.
“Collections have to be very specific to meet the needs,” said Vaudt. “For instance, toddler furniture has to be sturdy enough not to tip over when a child pulls up on it. So this booklet helps donors know what child care centers can actually use.”
The goal is to have four kits available to service four shelters when a disaster strikes.
Beyond the collections, Vaudt says there’s a need to cross train child care workers to be Red Cross volunteers so they can provide activities and care for children within the shelters.
“We want to be ready to respond to wherever the need arises,” said Vaudt. “DHS is currently generating a list of licensed child care providers that have needs related to flood damage. Our Children in Disasters project group will be looking for organizations to help meet the needs. This will be an ongoing effort, similar to an adopt-a-school program, so that these providers can recover.”
Agencies involved include the Nashville Chapter of the American Red Cross, Upper Cumberland Child Care Resource and Referral, Cookeville-Putnam County Emergency Management Agency, Upper Cumberland Regional Health Office, Putnam County Health Department, Department of Human Services Licensing, the Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance, Creative Learning Child Care, Busy Bees Child Care, and CRMC Children’s Center as well as other community volunteers.
For information on how you can help or for a booklet listing needed items, contact Cheryl Tompkins at the TECTA office 931-372-6561 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
The booklet and more information can be found at www.childrenindisastersproject.org.
