How to support child well-being in bushfires and pandemics

The past six months has seen Australians confront a catastrophic bushfire season followed immediately by a once-in-a-generation pandemic.

Many children – particularly in regional Victoria and New South Wales – witnessed bushfires firsthand while others have seen images in the news of homes destroyed and livelihoods lost and now the effects of Covid 19 here and around the world.

With so much disruption, what can parents and guardians, teachers and allied health professionals do to create supportive communities and build resilience and optimism in our children?

To help address this question, mental health, child health, education and disaster-recovery experts will engage in a panel discussion at a free public forum, held via Zoom, presented by the University of Melbourne, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, and Melbourne Graduate School of Education.

The panel discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A session in which we’d like to hear from young people, parents and guardians, teachers and allied health workers in the audience about their challenges, concerns and on-the-ground experiences.

Register today and submit questions now or feel free to ask them on the day.

To register visit https://events.unimelb.edu.au/view/event/event_id/6929

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