BUSHkids Annual Report 2018-2019

Fires

In parched Stanthorpe, through recent drought-afflicted years, BUSHkids has utilised the full range of resources in the FRIENDS Resilience programs but the horrific fires across the district in late 2019 demanded a stronger response — so we enlisted the help of Birdie and Mr Frog from Children’s Health Queensland.

We have also stayed linked to the Southern Downs Regional Council Human and Social Recovery Subgroup formed for ongoing support of the community post-fires and with the protracted drought. As part of the group’s committee, we continue to work with agencies to offer family support and resilience programs. This presence also allows BUSHkids to hear what is happening in the community and be able to identify needs or gaps so that we may be able to provide services and support.

Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service

St Joseph’s School Prep teacher Glenda McNicol with our EIF Adela Caruso.

The Queensland Government has developed some great resources to help support children and parents at times of disasters, with the website offering brilliant interactive games, e-books and parent information to support families. Birdie and his friend Mr Frog feature in the books and all of the games to help deal with those ‘big feelings.’ www.childrens.health.qld.gov.au/natural-disaster-recovery

BUSHkids donated copies of the Birdie books to all childcare facilities, kindergartens and primary schools across the Stanthorpe region. Teachers have held storytime reading conversations with the children and supported them in their adjustments to the changes linked to the natural disasters. We are also working with Glenda Riley from Granite Belt Drought Assist to ensure these books are distributed direct to families. “Remember, babies and young children communicate through their behaviour. If your child doesn’t seem to ‘be themselves’ or you have concerns about their behaviour, think about what their behaviour may be telling you.” ~ Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service Glenda’s team logs the names of those to whom books have been distributed and they can also leave their phone number — if they consent to this, then our Stanthorpe staff make follow up calls to see if families require any ongoing assistance. We have also investigated the practicalities of our EIF Adela riding along with water truck deliveries to make contact with additional families throughout the wider district to offer further support. All at BUSHkids are proud of these collaborative initiatives and the efforts of our Stanthorpe and Southern Region teams to reach out to as many affected children and families as they practically can by all means possible.

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“Birdie’s Tree” is the central graphic of this clever program and provides the ‘home’ across each of the five disasater stories.

© Queensland Centre for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health.

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