Crisis and emergency contexts include sudden or ongoing situations that disrupt children's safety, relationships and everyday environments. Two particularly important family circumstances are families affected by natural disasters and climate-related emergencies and families experiencing family violence or displacement (Emerging Minds, n.d.).

Australian families may experience bushfires, floods, storms, cyclones, drought and extreme heat. These events can have consequences on the housing, employment, early childhood services, family ties to the community and financial losses.

The effects of disasters are not distributed equally. Families who have secure housing, financial savings, transportation and have strong social networks can have greater capacity to recover than families who are already experiencing disadvantage. This illustrates why disasters are not purely environmental events; they also expose social inequality.

Emerging Minds emphasises that disasters can influence multiple dimensions of children's ecology and that recovery requires seeing the "whole child" rather than focusing only on immediate emotional reactions.

The second family context is family and domestic violence, including physical, sexual, psychological, emotional or financial abuse and coercive control. Children can be harmed even if violence is not directed specifically towards them. AIHW notes that exposure to family, domestic and sexual violence can have serious and lasting impacts on children's health, wellbeing, education and social-emotional development (AIHW, 2024).

These contexts are explained by Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory. A flood may affect a child's home microsystem but simultaneously disrupt parents' employment, community services and early childhood participation. Family violence also has an impact on housing, finances, legal systems and community support.

B. Impact on Children and Families

Crisis can impact children's expectations of predictability and safety. Children may experience changes in sleep, play, separation behaviour, emotional regulation or concentration.

Young children may repeatedly represent emergencies through dramatic or construction play. This does not necessarily indicate pathology. Play can provide a symbolic way to process experiences children cannot yet explain verbally.

Family violence can similarly affect children's emotional security and relationships. It is crucial that educators take an especially careful approach. If a child communicates something concerning, the educator's role is to listen, reassure the child appropriately, document the child's words accurately and follow safeguarding procedures. Asking repeated or leading questions can interfere with formal investigations and place inappropriate responsibility on the educator.

Early childhood settings can provide effective protective environments during recovery as they provide familiar people, routines, and opportunities for play.

C. Social Policy and Australian Responses

The National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032 is Australia's overarching national policy framework (DSS, 2022). It works across four domains: prevention, early intervention, response and recovery and healing.

Safe and supported, state child-protection legislation, family-violence legislation and Victorian Child Safe Standards also establish responsibilities relating to children's safety.

Natural-disaster responses involve national and state emergency-management arrangements. Critically, emergency planning should not treat children as simply smaller adults. Emerging Minds advocates a child-centred and family-focused approach, including attention to children's particular risks and both practical and psychological preparedness.

D. Five Evidence-Based Strategies for Practice

1. Restore predictable routines: Familiar routines, people and spaces can help rebuild a sense of security following disruption.

2. Provide developmentally appropriate preparedness education: Educators can practise evacuation routines using calm, simple language rather than frightening imagery.

3. Use play-based opportunities for expression: Drawing, puppets, construction and small-world play allow children to represent experiences without forced verbal disclosure.

4. Apply trauma-informed co-regulation: Calm adult presence, reassurance and responsiveness are more appropriate than punitive responses to distress.

5. Establish clear safeguarding and referral pathways: All educators should know how to respond to family violence, suspected child abuse, emergency housing needs and other crises.

E. Community and Professional Partnerships

Australian Red Cross provides emergency-preparedness and recovery resources. State Emergency Services support community preparedness and emergency response. 1800RESPECT provides national domestic, family and sexual violence support. Safe Steps provides family-violence crisis support in Victoria. Social workers and family-support professionals can coordinate housing, safety and recovery services.

Partnerships should be established before emergencies occur. Waiting until a crisis begins can leave educators unsure about referral options and responsibilities.

F. Resources for Responders and Affected Individuals