Disaster Management

When disasters occur, whether natural, medical, or caused by humans, being prepared at all levels is crucial. Preparing for disasters involves creating plans, establishing a process to manage during a disaster, and enhancing critical infrastructure before a disaster. Being able to respond quickly and efficiently to disasters is essential for children, families, and child welfare professionals. 

Disasters tend to hit the most vulnerable the hardest, and families from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds are at heightened risk for experiencing the adverse effects of disasters. Vulnerable families are more likely to live in areas exposed to repeated disasters and less likely to have access to the resources and supports needed to recover. Child welfare agencies should embed equitable practices into their disaster management strategies to address these disparate outcomes. 

After disasters, child welfare agencies should continue to manage, capture lessons learned, rebuild, and continuously improve their systems.

Use these resources to assist in creating equitable disaster preparedness plans, learn about responding to emergencies quickly and effectively to protect children and families, and help them recover. 

Adjust the filters below to refine your list of resources. Can’t find what you need in the filtered results? Try searching our Library catalog to access a large selection of peer-reviewed journal articles, evaluation reports, Children’s Bureau grant materials, research studies, and more.