The aim of this workshop was to help participants learn practical strategies to ensure the safety and well-being of young children during emergencies.

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Representatives from the Nambucca Valley Red Cross Emergency Services, Helen Mower and Adele McCollom, were the facilitators of this workshop and were assisted by Michele Gerard and Lesley Smith throughout the day’s events.

Employees from the children’s services sector were represented from various centres including Gumnut Cottage Child Care Centre, Bowraville Community Preschool, Lower Bucca Community Preschool and Nambucca Heads Preschool Playcentre.

This workshop focused on group activities and involved interaction of those from the children’s services sector with representatives from the various emergency service agencies.

Each agency representative worked with staff from children’s services organisations and provided the appropriate response concerning their particular service.

In attendance were representatives from the NSW Government, NSW Reconstruction Authority, NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW State Emergency Service and Nambucca Valley Council.

Group activities and participation between early childhood participants, agency members, and Department of Education representatives resulted in understanding how an emergency plan equips staff to make good decisions during a range of different emergency scenarios; how to act during an emergency without relying on emergency services responders; how to support staff to feel confident that they can keep children safe during an emergency; and how to engage staff, parents, and children in the emergency planning process.

This workshop provided employees in the early childhood sector with valuable knowledge and mechanisms to handle and respond to emergency events that may occur at their workplace.