Natural disasters and pandemics: Supporting student and teacher wellbeing after a crisis

Executive summary

Teachers and schools often contribute as first responders in emergencies, and are adept at providing immediate care, despite themselves also being significantly affected by such emergencies. However, teachers often feel unsure about how best to provide psycho-educative support in the immediate aftermath and via longer- term recovery efforts.

This report presents an overview of research outlining effective approaches to the promotion of student and staff wellbeing during periods of emergency and recovery.

Exposure to emergencies such as bushfires and pandemics can be traumatic and cause major disruptions to families and to their livelihoods. Rates of family violence, sexual violence and mental health problems typically increase during and in the post emergency periods. During emergencies, women, girls and those already experiencing disadvantage are at much greater risk of violence and victimisation, and of the likelihood of developing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Emergencies disproportionately affect those already experiencing social or economic disadvantage, with poverty a major risk factor for increased risk of social, material and psychological harm. While most children and young people are resilient and recover well post emergency, some experience long-lasting mental health distress, including PTSD, anxiety disorders and depression. Common reactions that children and young people have include heightened anxiety even after the threat has gone, difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating on learning, problems with regulating behaviour and expressing emotions, challenges in managing frustration and conflict, anxiety about the effects on their own and their family’s future, and difficulties in getting along with others.

Earlier models of research investigating the wellbeing of those affected by emergencies focused on understanding the effects of direct exposure to the traumatic events. However, more recent research shows that distress can also be caused and intensified by high exposure to media recounting traumatic events, material deprivation, exposure to high levels of parental distress, and family violence. These stressors may be sustained once the immediate emergency has passed, with continued negative impact on children’s wellbeing and learning.

Research demonstrates that schools can make a major contribution to the prevention of mental health problems and to the promotion of resilience post emergency. Participation in sustained school-based social and emotional learning programs can help to mitigate the mental health effects of exposure to traumatic events, and lead to reduced rates of depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder. They also help students to develop the key life skills needed to deal with the stressors and challenges of everyday life. These programs can also help schools fulfil their curriculum requirements in developing students’ personal and social capabilities, and benefit all students, regardless of their exposure to trauma.

A number of evidence-informed programs are available to guide teachers in adopting best practices both during the immediate aftermath of emergencies and in longer-term recovery. Schools can benefit from being made aware of existing teaching and wellbeing resources and services, and of the routine good practices they can continue to use effectively in the post emergency period.

Schools benefit from clear guidance about effective response strategies to adopt post emergency. The following advice is derived from a summary of the available international research investigating effective approaches to promoting student wellbeing post exposure to a range of emergencies, including natural disasters, armed conflict and epidemics.

Key messages

• Children and young people may be more psychologically vulnerable to the effects of emergency-related trauma than adults as they may have less-developed coping strategies and are dependent on others for social and emotional support at this developmentally sensitive period in their lives.
• Rates of family violence and mental health problems tend to increase at the time of and following an emergency.
• While most children and young people are resilient and will recover in time, many will experience symptoms of post traumatic stress after an emergency, and some may display mental health symptoms years beyond the initial event.
• Children and young people already in more vulnerable circumstances are more adversely affected than others during emergencies and are at higher risk of developing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Teachers are also affected by emergency-related trauma and need additional support following traumatic events, particularly when they face increased workloads and challenges in response to heightened needs among their students.
• School leadership, and a culture of collegial support is crucial in addressing the professional and wellbeing needs of teachers as first responders in post emergency situations.
• Schools play a crucial role in supporting young people and their communities post emergency as they can provide a place for connection, routine and care.
• School-based social and emotional learning programs develop student resilience and school connectedness and contribute to longer-term recovery. They help to reduce the prevalence of PTSD, depression and anxiety post emergency.
• Teachers benefit from professional learning which helps them understand how emergencies can affect student wellbeing, learning and behaviour, and which support them to provide social and emotional learning programs.
• Many of the wellbeing practices routinely provided by schools continue to be important post emergency, including use of trauma-informed approaches, positive approaches to behaviour management and opportunities to connect and contribute.