Ensuring the Safety and Comfort of Children with Special Needs After Disaster

Elcin Balci (Author), Emrah Gokkaya (Author)

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Disasters are chaotic environments where the normal order of life is disrupted and people panic. Aft er a disaster occurs, it leaves devastating traces and it can take a long time to get back to normal life. Vulnerable groups are among the groups that disasters leave devastating traces. Vulnerable people include children with special needs [...]

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    Disasters are chaotic environments where the normal order of life is disrupted and people panic. Aft er a disaster occurs, it leaves devastating traces and it can take a long time to get back to normal life. Vulnerable groups are among the groups that disasters leave devastating traces. Vulnerable people include children with special needs who need help and carers. Children with special needs show diff erent characteristics from adults in terms of understanding and reacting to physiological, behavioural, traumatic events emotionally and developmentally. In this respect, meeting the special needs of children with special needs who are at risk and aff ected by disasters during the re-normalisation phase is of great importance. However, it should not be forgotten that in addition to the recovery phase, children with special needs have unique physical, mental, behavioural, developmental, communication, therapeutic and social needs that need to be met during the preparation and response phases of disasters. Because disaster management is a whole in modern management system. People and organisations involved in the care and welfare of children can be prepared to reduce the negative impacts of disasters on children. Damages can be mitigated. These preparations can promote preparedness and resilience for children and families, as well as for communities, and ensure that the needs of children with special needs are not neglected in planning, response and recovery efforts. Therefore, local, regional, national and even international agencies and organisations serving children with special needs should collaborate to ensure the safety, health and well-being of children in disasters.
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