Children and Disaster Preparedness: A Study of Childcare Centers in New Zealand

• In Event: 4167 - Section on Children and Youth Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Children & Youth Roundtable 3: Institutional Contexts

Abstract

This study examines children and disaster vulnerability, specifically examining how childcare centers can effectively prepare for a range of disasters. While some research has looked at K-12 schools, less attention has been paid to centers for the youngest of children, ages infants to 5 years. My research was conducted in New Zealand, a small island nation at risk to many types of hazards, in an effort to understand how best to keep children safe in disasters. I utilized a variety of methods including interviews, observation, and document analysis. This small case study is aimed to add to the growing discussion around policy and practice of disaster preparedness for childcare centers in the U.S. and globally.

Author

• Alice Fothergill, University of Vermont