All-hours Support Line
Emergency Hotline
for Australian Defence Force
members and their families
CALL 1800 628 036 -
Outside Australia +61
2 9425 3878
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Trauma
- Managing Mental Health Reactions to Major Disasters and Traumas
 Information on Children of
Deployed Personnel
 This section contains information that may be useful to carers
of children where parent is deployed. It is important in this
circumstance to ensure that you:
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Offer reassurance, where reasonable, that their parent
(deployed member) is relatively safe and taking appropriate
care on the deployment.
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Facilitate communication between the children and the
deployed member where feasible and reasonable. This will
help to normalise the parent’s absence and provide reassurance
to the child.
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Limit the children’s exposure to media coverage of the
deployment (see next section).
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Highlight the positive aspects of what the member is
doing (i.e. helping people in distress).
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Encourage the children to also help, by getting involved
with fundraising or other goodwill activities.
Be aware that children display distress in ways that may
be different to adults. Therefore be alert to signs or symptoms
of distress such as:
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attention and concentration problems
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clinging or dependent behaviour
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fearfulness at night and sleep disturbance
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general misbehaviour or "naughtiness"
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physical aches and pains
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social withdrawal
It is important to recognise that the above features may
be part of an emotional response to the member’s absence or
fear for their safety, rather than willful behaviour. Therefore
it is important not to become angry or blame the child for
this behaviour.
When to seek assistance:
If the child’s reactions are particularly severe or prolonged,
contact the Defence
Community Organisation who can help you get professional
assistance.
QUICK
TIPS: Information on Children of Deployed Personnel |
How do I respond to children’s
special needs?
- Listen - to their fears
- Reassure - that they are safe and the deployed
parent is as safe as possible
- Communicate - let the child express their emotions
- Play - participate in activities the child enjoys
with them
Doing something to help Children
and young people can be helped by feeling there
is something they can do to help. This helps to
give a sense of control when things are overwhelming.
This could be, for example:
- attending a church service or other spiritual
ceremony for the victims
- writing a letter of sympathy and support
- giving toys, food or clothing
- raising money for the victims or for organisations
which support peace
- volunteering their time in whatever way will be
helpful
- and let them see you helping as well.
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23 September, 2008
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