Resources For Helping Children Cope with Tragedy

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by Joe Kleiman, InPark News Editor

(December 14, 2012) -- Each year, museums and other centers of learning are responsible for the safety of millions of school children attending on field trips or at museum sponsored events or camps.  In light of today's horrific attacks on elementary school students in Connecticut and China, the Association of Children's Museums recommends that museum professionals and members of other community organizations visit their web section on helping children cope with disaster.  Links on the site include:

• Helping Young Children Cope with Disaster, by Please Touch® Museum - A guide for children's museums to utilize in order to help families with young children.
• The National Association for the Education of Young Children - Resources to help families give children emotional support and assure them they are safe during a crisis. Note: there is a small fee for this resource.
• The Family Readiness Kit - A tool developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics designed specifically for families. 
• Helping Children After A Disaster - Information from the American Academy of Child Adolescent and Psychiatry about how to identify and cope with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in children.

The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), which also recommends museum professionals visit the above page, has resources available about museum security on its website for AAM members (membership required to access).