"I would tell them they're not alone"

Lessons from child survivors of natural disasters

Child survivors of Cyclone Gabrielle are facing a long road to emotional recovery. How can we support tamariki to thrive after trauma? There might be lessons from the children of Ōtautahi…

After the devastating February 2011 earthquake in Ōtautahi Christchurch, around 70,000 people left the city in the following weeks. Many of them were children. Around 7581 students enrolled in schools outside of the region. The impact on child survivors was immense.

We have no idea yet how many families will have to leave the places brutalised by Cyclone Gabrielle. We have no idea yet how many tamariki won’t ever return to their kura or community. In just one story of probably hundreds, a mum talked of having to send her two-year-old and five-month-old daughters out of their rural community by helicopter, so she could focus on the immediate need of recovery while keeping them safe.

Rebuilding will take years. Many tamariki won’t ever return to their homes.

Photo by Annie Spratt

In late August and early November 2011, researchers from Otago University interviewed 94 children and young people aged five to 18 years who had survived the earthquake. Only eight of the 94 children in the study did not move from their homes at all. The aim was to understand their experiences of post-earthquake relocation and contribute to knowledge about children's post-disaster recovery.

One of the co-authors of the research Disaster impact and recovery: what children and young people can tell us, University of Otago College of Education professor Karen Nairn, says much was learned from young earthquake survivors. Many gave advice to children who may face disasters in the future.

I would tell them, that you are not alone. That there are always people there for you, and even if you feel like you are alone and if you are at school by yourself, there is someone who will always try to get to you as soon as possible…there is always someone out there thinking of you. - Ruby, aged 13.

Others talked about the complexity of family decision-making in the recovery, or shared the best ways to keep community strong in the aftermath.

Remain close to friends and family because they will help you get through it … Keep cool and calm. - Crystal, aged 12.

Stick with the people that you know, your family and relatives and things like that, and help other people that need it. - Brett, aged 13.

In speaking to tamariki, Professor Nairn found incredible wisdom. Tessa, 16, and other children talked of dealing with huge emotions after tragedy - “Even if you hate talking, write it down, write it down on a piece of paper and burn it”. Others gave beautiful advice that everyone can use. Like eight-year-old David who simply said: “Be a friend.”

Children also had strong opinions on the rebuilding process and what would help to strengthen their community as well as their city.

Recovery is complex Professor Nairn says, but there’s a simple message beneath that complexity - “Listen to children”.

“I hope we can take lessons from what happened in Christchurch and think about just how long-term the implications were for tamariki and whānau coping with the aftermath. This is going to be years in recovery. Making sure that we keep listening to children is critical, as they have such good insights into what can be done.”

Her advice for parents from her research was to make space for hard conversations. She acknowledged how difficult that would be in the immediate stress of recovery.

“Being really honest and giving children the chance to talk about it is important. We have to find ways to keep listening as best we can,” she says. “Children need to have their losses acknowledged alongside adults acknowledging their own feelings.”

“The worse thing for you to do is try to hide your fear because kids do pick up on that and they, your kids, get really like scared and everything but they have to know you are human too and you are afraid of stuff like this happening. … Like my Dad pretended nothing was wrong, because he was brought up that way, and it really annoyed me, and whenever I would get emotional about that he wouldn't understand.” - Tessa, aged 16.

“Some families might be quite traumatised, and thinking they’re protecting their children from hard conversations but I think it’s better to include them in age appropriate ways. Really acknowledge their fears and sadness,” Professor Nairn says.

Getting children involved in clean-up was also shown to help in Ōtautahi. “Children in post-earthquake Christchurch appreciated being involved in age appropriate ways. When you feel overwhelmed, doing something toward cleaning up can be useful as a focus.”

Following the immediate clean up post-disaster, children should not be left out by local and central government in rebuilding plans, Professor Nairn says.

“Children have really good ideas and they’re not just thinking about themselves they’re thinking about their communities. [Post-disaster] they’re often really involved in all of the practical tasks of shovelling sediment, getting water, tracking down forms of communication in their community, all of the things children will be involved in now with their families in affected areas.”

“Children and young people have really good ideas for how to restablish communities. We need to encompass all age groups when we are imagining post disaster recovery. It’s critical. The more we involve children in the design of our cities and towns the more likely we will meet their needs and have more inclusive environments.”

Professor Nairn recognises some might think it radical to consult with children on the rebuild. But she’s unapologetic, as the research is clear - being involved can help everyone.

“It is radical to think about children’s voice but we really all benefit when we do.”

“I just want it [Christchurch] to be a really happy place and I have always imagined it as like full of grass. And I really like music, so like outdoor concerts and stuff and everything. I would like to see Christchurch happy again.” - Ruby, aged 13