Children make up approximately 25 percent¹ of the United States (US) population, but when disaster strikes, they more vulnerable – physically and psychologically – than many other groups. By changing the way we respond to disasters, however, we can work towards ensuring that children receive the help they need during and after an incident. This includes informing and empowering parents and caregivers on how to make better choices that impact their children’s health and implementing strategies that better address the needs of at-risk children and their families such as supporting breastfeeding and filling gaps in child care.

Through the Children’s HHS Interagency Leadership on Disasters (CHILD) Working Group, HHS is working to translate these ideas into common practice.

The goal of the CHILD Working Group, an interagency working group co-led by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), is to improve the way we integrate children’s needs across disaster preparedness, response, and recovery activities. As part of these efforts, the CHILD Working Group is excited to announce the publication of the 2012-2013 Report of the Children’s HHS Interagency Leadership on Disasters (CHILD) Working Group: Update on Departmental Activities and Areas for Future Consideration. This report describes the significant progress HHS has made to meet the needs of children in disasters and highlights three new program areas: pregnant and breastfeeding women and newborns; children at heightened risk; and interdepartmental and non-governmental organization (NGO) collaboration. For each focus area, the report provides background information, lists programs and activities underway, and discusses areas for future consideration.

Highlights of HHS progress in these areas include:

• Better Communication: During a disaster, it can be hard for people to know what services are available to them and their children. HHS is using of prenatal care records and mobile phone messaging to support women’s disaster preparedness, resilience, and access to services.
• Providing Critical Services for At-Risk Families: Families who are stressed before a disaster strikes are more likely to have a hard time effectively coping with the impacts of the disaster. HHS has collaborated with state partners in the formation of Children and Youth Task Forces in Disasters to support at-risk children and families and restore critical services including child care, Head Start, behavioral health, and financial assistance.
• Working to Restore Child Care: HHS continually partners with NGOs to address disaster-caused gaps in child care after disasters.

We don’t know when the next disaster will strike, but we do know that supporting the unique needs of children is critical to successful disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. This report and future versions demonstrate HHS’s commitment to tracking and demonstrating the significant progress made towards improving our nation’s ability to respond to children’s needs in disasters. The CHILD Working Group will continue to meet on a regular basis to ensure integration and coordination of children’s needs across HHS and to provide updates on key initiatives so it remains a high priority for HHS leadership.

¹Population by Age and Sex: 2010.http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/age/age_sex_2010.html.