Research-into-Action Brief: Early Childhood and Disaster Risk Reduction

The impacts of hazards and threats can be significantly modified through adequate risk reduction and preparedness. The factors that contribute to effective Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) have been documented and widely applied. However, the nuances of DRR that relate specifically to very young and preschool-aged children are less prominent in the literature, despite the heightened vulnerability of children below the age of eight years. This brief reviews the research and practice literature about early childhood and DRR. A focus on early childhood can be incorporated at national, community, classroom and household levels. The very process of undertaking a DRR assessment for young children has been shown to stimulate raised awareness and increased supports for this age group. Information sharing and participatory activities that acknowledge the capabilities of pre-school-aged children are effective DRR mechanisms. This brief is part of a series.

The Research-into-Action Brief series includes two main tools:

1. Research-into-Action Briefs and Summaries

2. Shared Bibliography on Zotero: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1857446/ccrr__css

These tools are for practitioners working in fields of child-centred risk reduction (CCRR), climate change adaptation (CCA) and school safety. The briefs and summaries are also intended to be used for training and capacity development for practitioners and partners, including government.

The briefs provide a concise review of research findings on a range of topics which have been selected by practitioners. The briefs have a focus on how the research findings could be (or have been) applied in practice. Each brief is 6-10 pages long, and generally contains a glossary, literature review, case study or examples, practical applications, key readings, and follow-up questions.

The summaries are two pages long and provide a quick snapshot of the main messages from the briefs. These can be used to both promote the full Research-into-Action Brief, to provide a quick overview of the topic, or to promote the use of research.