Print this chapterPrint this chapter

Child Reunification Considerations for Communities

12. Appendices

12.1. Appendix A: Child Reunification Planning Checklist and Worksheet

Community Reunification Planning Checklist

Community Name__________________________________ No In progress Yes
Planning
Identify Key Stakeholders for Child Reunification Focus Group*      
Assess existing Local, Regional and State Plans*      
Establish Clear Roles & Responsibilities*      
Foster Collaboration & Communication (meetings cadence, progress, challenges)      
Identifying Needs of Children in the Community
Collect Demographic Data*      
Analyze Scale and Scope      
Prioritize and Develop Strategies      
Child Specific Considerations
Identify Trusted “SAFE Person” / “SAFE Entity”      
Community Considerations including Unique/ Special Populations Needs*      
Raise Awareness, Communication, Educate and Drill
Educate Community Members on Reunification Preparedness      
Integrate Child Scenarios into Drills/Exercises and Debriefs      
Operationalization of Reunification Practices for Children
Integrate Child-Focused SMEs in ICS      
Develop Child-Focused Staffing & Volunteer Roles & JAS      
Integrate Considerations for Children into Existing Staffing      
Develop Procedures for Recommended Staff: Child Ratios      
Develop Staff Vetting Procedures      
Develop Guardian Registration Form      
Develop Child Intake Form      
Determine Process to Take Child Picture and Attach to Form      
Create Standard Process for Tracking Children      
Determine Method for Assigning Intake Identifier and Issuing ID/Wristband      
Determine Process for Integrating Other Reunification Operations (hospitals, schools)      
Integrate into Regional Identification/Tracking Processes      
Ensure FRC Areas are Safe and Secure for Children      
Develop Location Movement Protocols      
Establish Clear Guidance for Families      
Develop Public Messaging about Unaccompanied Minors      
Determine Media Coordination Protocols regarding Child Reunification      
Develop Staff Guidance for Addressing Children’s Questions      
Determine Process for Managing Children’s Use of Devices and Social Media      
Determine Process for Tracking Misinformation      
Develop Match Verification Procedures      
Develop Process for Managing Children with Incapacitated Guardian      
Develop Process for Managing Guardians with a Deceased Child      
Develop Process for Managing Children with Deceased Guardian      
Develop UMSA Supply List      
Develop Family Reunification Area Supply List      
Identify space(s) for UMSA and Family Reunification Area      
Establish Written Agreements with Child-Focused Partners      
Determine Follow-Up Resources, Referrals, and Educational Materials for Families with Children      
Recovery
Establish Demobilization Criteria tailored for Child-Focused Operations      
Develop Protocols for Conducting Child-Focused Hot Wash Sessions Post-Response      
Develop a Process to Identify and Include Child-Focused Response Partners in Post-Incident Debriefs      
Create a Process to Capture and Integrate Child-Focused Lessons Learned into the AAR      
Plan Coordination for Long-Term Recovery Resources      

A score card for the Community Reunification Planning Checklist can be found here.

This worksheet provides community planners with a structured framework to ensure the needs of children are fully integrated into reunification planning.

1.0 Planning

Task Identify Key Stakeholders for Children Reunification Focus Group
Description List child-focused partners: hospitals, schools, EMS, CPS, NGOs, etc.
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix B: Community Stakeholders for Child Reunification Focus Group
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Assess Existing Plans
Description Review local/regional/state reunification plans
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix C: Identifying Gaps and Existing Elements in Child Reunification
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Establish Clear Roles & Responsibilities
Description Determine responsibilities for focus group personnel
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix B: Community Stakeholders for Child Reunification Focus Group
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Foster Collaboration and Communication
Description Schedule recurring planning meetings
Related Resource Worksheet  
Assigned To  
Notes  

2.0 Identifying the Needs of Children

Task Collect Demographic Data
Description Appoint primary child-focused POC to collect information from shelters, FACs, hospitals, childcare and educational facilities, ME’s, etc.

Collect data pertaining to children within your community, including age ranges, cultural backgrounds, languages spoken, socioeconomic status, and other relevant factors.
Related Resource Worksheet  
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Analyze Scale and Scope
Description Quantify potential pediatric caseload and geographic distribution during various emergency scenarios; identify surge thresholds for activation.
Related Resource Worksheet  
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Prioritize and Develop Strategies
Description Based on the data collected and stakeholder input, prioritize the identified needs for children and develop targeted strategies to address them.
Related Resource Worksheet  
Assigned To  
Notes  

4.0 Awareness, Education, and Exercises

Task Inform Community Members on Reunification Preparedness by Developing Pre-scripted Messaging and Education
Description Create public-facing education templates to help parents and children prepare for potential separation.

Create public-facing education templates to help schools, daycare, and any other child-focused facility prepare for potential separation.
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix E: Reunification Guidance for Families
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Plan & Conduct Exercises
Description Conduct community-wide reunification drills including child specific injects and unaccompanied minor scenarios.
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix F: Integrating Unaccompanied Minors in Exercises
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Evaluate After Drills
Description Use hot wash, after action reports and debrief templates to evaluate the effectiveness of child injects, coordination, and partner performance.
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix W: Hot Wash and Debrief Guide – Child Operations

Appendix X: Child-Focused After-Action Report & Improvement Plan
Assigned To  
Notes  

5.0 Operationalization of Reunification Practices for Children

Task Integrate Child-Focused SMEs in ICS
Description Develop FRC ICS roles and JAS
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix G: FRC ICS Org Chart

Appendix H: FRC ICS Child Reunification Group Supervisor JAS
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Staff & Volunteers
Description Develop child-focused staffing roles and JAS (i.e., Child-specific clinical care in the FAC and UMSA, age-appropriate licensed staffing in UMSA, Registration Staff in FRC, Social Workers, etc.)

Integrate considerations for children into existing staffing roles (i.e., security, interpreters, spiritual guidance, behavioral/mental health, environmental care workers, food service workers, etc.)

Develop procedures for recommended Staff: Child Ratios

Develop staff vetting procedures
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix I: FRC Child - Focused Staff JAS

Appendix J: Recommended Staff: Child Ratios
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Registration Process
Description Develop Guardian Registration Form
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix K: Guardian Registration Form
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Intake Procedures
Description Develop Child Identification Form (unique identifiers, verbal vs non-verbal children)

Determine process to take child picture and attach to form

Develop throughput process
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix L: Child Intake Form

Appendix M: Reunification Pathway
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Tracking
Description Create a standardized process for tracking children during intake, care, and reunification – including electronic and manual options.

Determine method for assigning intake identifier and issuing ID / wristband for unaccompanied minor.

Determine process for integrating other reunification operations into the tracking process (hospitals, schools)

Integrate into regional identification/tracking processes
Related Resource Worksheet  
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Safety & Security
Description Ensure FRC areas are safe and secure for children.

Develop location movement protocols
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix N: FRC Safety & Security Checklist for Children
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Communication and Information Sharing
Description Establish clear guidance for families

Develop public messaging about unaccompanied minors

Determine Media coordination protocols regarding child reunification

Develop staff guidance for addressing children’s questions

Determine process for managing children’s use of devices and social media

Determine process for tracking misinformation
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix O: Call Center Scripts

Appendix P: Public Messaging Scripts Regarding Unaccompanied Minors

Appendix Q: FRC Child-Focused Resources for Staff

Appendix R: Guidance for Managing Children’s Use of Devices & Social Media
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Match & Verification
Description Develop match verification procedures

Develop processes for managing children with incapacitated guardians

Develop processes for managing guardian with a deceased child

Develop processes for managing children with a deceased guardian
Related Resource Worksheet  
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Physical Space
Description Develop Unaccompanied Minor Safe Area Supply List

Develop Family Reunification Area Supply List

Identify space(s) for Unaccompanied Minor Safe Area

Identify space(s) for Family Reunification Area
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix T: FRC Supply List for Child-Focused Operations

Appendix S: UMSA Location Assessment Tool
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Agreements with Child-Focused Partners
Description Establish written agreements with child-focused partner agencies and organizations for data sharing, surge support, etc.
Related Resource Worksheet  
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Provide Anticipatory Guidance
Description Determine follow-up resources, mental health referrals, and developmentally appropriate educational materials to share with families.
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix U: Family Resources
Assigned To  
Notes  

6.0 Recovery

Task Define Child-Focused Demobilization Criteria
Description Determine thresholds for transitioning from operations to recovery.
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix V: Demobilization Criteria for Child-Focused Operations
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Establish Child-Focused Hot Wash Protocols
Description Develop protocols for conducting child-focused hot wash sessions post-response.
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix W: Hot Wash and Debrief Guide – Child Operations
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Develop Partner Inclusion Process for Debriefs
Description Develop a process to identify and include child-focused response partners in post-incident debriefs.
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix W: Hot Wash and Debrief Guide – Child Operations
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Create Lessons Learned Integration Process
Description Create a process to capture and integrate child-focused lessons learned into the AAR.
Related Resource Worksheet Appendix X: Child-Focused After-Action Report & Improvement Plan
Assigned To  
Notes  
Task Plan Long-Term Recovery Resource Coordination
Description Plan Coordination for Long-Term Recovery resources, including referrals for mental health support, access to education, pediatric case management, and advocacy for family services.
Related Resource Worksheet  
Assigned To  
Notes  

A downloadable version of this appendix checklist is available here and appendix worksheet is available here.