Teachers Helping Children after
a Critical Incident

This resource was designed to help teachers assist children and is useful for general disasters as well as emergencies that occur in the lives of individual children.

Emergencies are very traumatic events for children.  It’s difficult for them to understand and accept that there are events in their lives that can’t be controlled or predicted.  Worst of all, we adults can’t “fix” a disaster, can’t solve it, and can’t keep it from happening again.

            Ways Teachers Can Assist Students:

1. Cope with your own natural feelings of helplessness, fear, anger, until you do this, you won't be able
    to effectively help the children

2. Learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of distress and post traumatic stress reactions

3. Put the emergency or critical incident in context; provide a perspective

4. Communicate a positive “I’m not helpless” attitude

5. Start the healing process; help children to feel relieved and soothed

6. Identify children who may need intervention -- refer to the appropriate mental health care professionals.