Child Reunification Considerations for Communities
2. Planning Process
Building a Coordinated Community Response
Emergencies, particularly those involving children, require a localized and interconnected response. To effectively meet children’s needs following a large-scale emergency, communities must establish a strong foundation of trust, communication, and collaboration among response partners.
This foundation should be established before a disaster occurs through strong relationships among government agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), health care systems, schools, child-serving organizations, and private-sector partners.
Child-focused subject matter experts should be included in the earliest planning discussions. Their involvement helps communities identify the specialized capabilities, resources, safeguards, and developmental considerations needed when responding to children.
Start with Appendix A
Begin with Appendix A: Child Reunification Checklist and Worksheet. It provides key considerations for child-focused reunification planning and a baseline assessment of the capabilities in your community’s current plan.