Save the Children Australia is responding to severe flooding events in South East Queensland by setting up Child Friendly Spaces in evacuation centres.
The rapid deployment of staff and resources in Queensland will help ensure the immediate and unique needs of children are met.
In coordination with local authorities, Child Friendly Spaces have been established inside Kedron and Chandler evacuation centres to support children and parents forced to leave their homes.
Save the Children Australia Executive Director for Australian Services, Matt Gardiner said the organisation was ready and willing to provide more support as needed.
“Children have had to leave their homes, pets and belongings behind,” said Mr Gardiner.
“Their need to process this emergency and deal with their emotions in a healthy way should be a priority for all of us. After the events of the last two years, many will already have been in a heightened state of anxiety and distress even before these extraordinary floods.”
“Children must never be an afterthought when responding to a disaster like flooding, especially on this scale.”
“Save the Children stands ready to support the immediate and recovery needs of children and their families affected in Queensland and New South Wales.”
“As extreme weather events become more frequent and intense due to the climate crisis, it is critical we systematically meet the needs of children in emergencies.”
“We hope the growing climate crisis, and its dire consequences for children’s learning and mental health and wellbeing, prompts stronger and more urgent action from Australian governments.”
Save the Children has a long history of responding to emergencies in Australia, including the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, Cyclone Trevor in the Northern Territory, the Townsville floods in Far North Queensland and the bushfires of the Huon Valley in Tasmania.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Kimberley Gardiner on +61437 435 777 or media.team@savethechildren.org.au