Responses to young children in post-emergency situations

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Early Childhood Matters is a journal about early childhood. It looks at specific issues regarding the development of young children, in particular from a psychosocial perspective. It is published twice per year by the Bernard van Leer Foundation. Contents The views expressed on Early Childhood Matters are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Bernard van Leer Foundation. Work featured in Early Childhood Matters is not necessarily funded by the Bernard van Leer Foundation. Foreword 3 Guest Editorial 4 Margaret McCallin Protecting children in emergencies 10 © Bernard van Leer Foundation, 2005 Reproduction of articles from Early Childhood Matters by photocopying or electronic means for non-commercial purposes is permitted. However, it is requested that the author, Early Childhood Matters and Bernard van Leer Foundation are cited as the source of the information. Permission must be obtained to use photos. ISSN 1387-9553 Rapid child protection assessments in emergency contexts 12 Andrea Becklund, Wendy Wheaton, Michael Wessells ECD in emergencies 16 J.R.A. Williams, Tina Hyder, Susan Nicolai Bernard van Leer Foundation’s response to the tsunami 22 You have to look at the needs 24 An interview with Dominic Xavier Cover: Thirteen-year-old Fariz lived on this spot in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, with his parents and siblings. Their home was ruined by the passing tsunami. Fariz and his sister were adopted by their neighbour, who had miraculously survived with all her children. Photo: Jim Holmes Early Childhood Matters is also published in Spanish: Espacio para la Infancia (ISSN 1566- 6476). Both publications are available from our website, where articles can be downloaded, and hard single copies can be requested free of charge. Bernard van Leer Foundation PO Box 82334 2508 EH The Hague The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)70 331 2200 Fax: +31 (0)70 350 2373 email: registry@bvleerf.nl Addressing the rights and needs of tsunami-affected children: 28 Guiding principles Separated children 33 Community-based care for separated children 40 Child-to-Child: Helping children in emergencies and affected by conflict 47 Dr Tashmin Kassam-Khamis Restorative play in refugee situations 51 Sophie Naudeau Disabled children in conflict situations 55 Marlies van der Kroft The impact of war on children 60 Elisabeth Munsch Further reading 64 News from the Foundation 67 Series Editors: Teresa Moreno, Jan van Dongen Design & Production: Homemade Cookies Graphic Design bv
Foreword This issue of Early Childhood Matters is published just six months after a massive earthquake off the coast of Sumatra triggered the worst natural catastrophe in living memory. As many as a third of the more than 200,000 people who died in the tsunami were children. Of the 500,000 people who are estimated to be left homeless, again, a third are children, many of whom separated from their parents. The international community responded very quickly to the disaster, and the immediate relief effort was unprecedented in its scope. Every emergency situation, whether it is man-made or natural, has potentially devastating effects on the lives of people, especially those who are most vulnerable, such as women and children. But what constitutes an emergency? According to the Save the Children article in this issue, people hold two quite distinct views: it is either a direct and tangible threat to security, such as a clash, a curfew, an occupation or a shooting incident, or it is long-term process of deprivation of rights, chances and opportunities – in other words, the ‘silent’ emergencies that threaten the lives of countless children on a daily basis. How one handles these two types of emergencies, however, is quite distinct, as Dominic Xavier points out in his interview: “It is important to really know what emergency assistance is about – compared to long-term development”. In emergency situations, involuntary separation from both family and community protection, sometimes across national borders, greatly increases a child’s risk of exposure to violence, physical abuse and even death. As the Christian Children’s Fund article shows, a rapid assessment is an effective method of determining children’s enormous protection needs, including in cases such as the tsunami catastrophe. expertise in the field joined forces to make their relief efforts more effective, and they were able almost immediately following the disaster to issue guidelines that would help others to make their work more effective in the affected areas. Added together, the following pages present a set of ‘guiding principles’ in relation to work for unprotected children. While this edition of ecm was inspired by the tsunami, it looks at other, similar situations that leave children unprotected and suffering. This ecm is meant to bring important information to organisations facing the needs of young children in emergency situations who otherwise would not have access to it. It has been compiled by organisations and agencies who have first-hand, hands-on experience in this area. We’re sharing some of the expertise of organisations specialised in dealing with children in emergency situations, present their different approaches with the diverse categories of children who fall victim to disaster, conflict or displacement. What all of the organisations have in common, however, is their aim to respond in a timely fashion to young children caught up in emergencies in order to restore some ‘normalcy’ in their lives as soon as possible. This publication has been a joint effort of the Bernard van Leer Foundation and the International Catholic Child Bureau. Our special thanks go to Margaret McCallin, our guest editor, without whom this edition would not have been possible. Teresa Moreno Jan van Dongen editors It is worth pointing out that emergencies such as the tsunami not only pose unprecedent coordination challenges for the humanitarian community, but also provide it with an opportunity to grow. In tsunami-stricken areas, agencies with a grounded B e r n a r d v a n L e e r Fo u n d a t i o n 3 E a r l y C h i l d h o o d M a t t e r s • Ju l y 2 0 0 5
Page 4 and 5: Guest Editorial Margaret McCallin*
Page 6 and 7: The general context within which pr
Page 8 and 9: understand the meaning of any event
Page 10 and 11: Protecting children in emergencies
Page 12 and 13: A view from the Christian Children
Page 14 and 15: Photo: CHANON BERNSTEIN / CCF CHAD
Page 16 and 17: Save the Children’s experience ec
Page 18 and 19: grandparents, others)? Are these pe
Page 20 and 21: An investigation of the history of
Page 22 and 23: Bernard van Leer Foundation’s res
Page 24 and 25: “You have to look at the needs”
Page 26 and 27: Photo: BICE/ NANBAN / RTUT to what
Page 28 and 29: Guiding principles Addressing the r
Page 30 and 31: • Identify referral services for
Page 32 and 33: and support to foster families. •
Page 34 and 35: have the capacity to trace the prev
Page 36 and 37: including: • with extended family
Page 38 and 39: or even in the same compound. Child
Page 40 and 41: Community-based care for separated
Page 42 and 43: Institutional characteristic Releva
Page 44 and 45: within a family setting is almost a
Page 46 and 47: for the children’s future and wor
Page 48 and 49: Photo: M. MUTHU (SIDT) Through dire
Page 50 and 51: Young children promoting health in
Page 52 and 53:
The importance of play For younger
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stressful, this capacity might be s
Page 56 and 57:
• Equalisation of opportunities:
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Primary and secondary causes of dis
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Child soldiers in the Democratic Re
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newly weaned infants are highly vul
Page 64 and 65:
Further reading Websites The Child-
Page 66 and 67:
Education in emergencies A tool kit
Page 68:
Bernard van Leer Foundation Investi
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Responses to young children in post-emergency situations

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