Abstract
Background
Disaster response and recovery researchers and policy makers are increasingly attempting to represent the views of children and adolescents alongside those of adults and other community members following disasters.
Objective
Children’s and adolescents’ perspectives regarding the impacts and complications of the 2014 Hazelwood coal mine fire and ongoing smoke pollution event were investigated.
Method
Sixty-nine children and adolescents (aged 8–16 years) were interviewed using a semi-structured interview methodology and thematic analysis used to analyse the interviews.
Results
The children and adolescents revealed that the smoke and the response of schools, family members and community impacted the social, emotional and academic wellbeing of some children, while others experienced little impact from the event. Some reported awareness of the event complications on their parents and the community, and demonstrated skills to care for themselves and others, and to participate in disaster risk reduction efforts.
Conclusion
The perspective of children and adolescents about the consequences of the fire and ensuing circumstances yield important insights which could incorporated into trauma-informed practices and disaster preparation, response and rehabilitation programs to reduce children’s and adolescents’ vulnerability and to increase their agency following disasters.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
The corresponding author takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
References
American Psychiatric Association [APA]. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Anderson, A. W. (2005). Bringing children into focus on the social science disaster research agenda. International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, 23(3), 159–175.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2016). Schools, Australia, 2016 (Issue no. 4221.0). Retrieved from: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4221.0
Babugura, A. A. (2008). Vulnerability of children and youth in drought disasters: A case study of Botswana. Children, Youth and Environments, 18(1), 126–157.
Berger, E., Carroll, M., Maybery, D., & Harrison, D. (2018). Disaster impacts on students and staff from a specialist, trauma-informed Australian school. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 11, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-018-0228-6.
Bokszczanin, A. (2008). Parental support, family conflict, and overprotectiveness: Predicting PTSD symptom levels of adolescents 28 months after a natural disaster. Anxiety Stress and Coping, 21(4), 325–335. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615800801950584.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2013). Teaching thematic analysis: Overcoming challenges and developing strategies for effective learning. The Psychologist, 26(2), 120–123.
Cryder, C. H., Kilmer, R. P., Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2006). An exploratory study of posttraumatic growth in children following a natural disaster. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76(1), 65–69. https://doi.org/10.1037/0002-9432.76.1.65.
De Bellis, M. D., & Zisk, A. (2014). The biological effects of childhood trauma. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 23(2), 185–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2014.01.002.
Delicado, A., Rowland, J., Fonseca, S., Nunes de Almeida, A., Schmidt, L., & Ribeiro, S. (2017). Children in disaster risk reduction in Portugal: Policies, education, and (non) participation. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 8, 246–257. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13753-017-0138-5.
Duffy, M., & Whyte, S. (2017). The Latrobe valley: The politics of loss and hope in a region of transition. Australasian Journal of Regional Studies., 23, 421–446.
Dyregrov, A., Bie Wikander, A. M., & Vigerust, S. (1999). Sudden death of a classmate and friend: Adolescents’ perception of support from their school. School Psychology International, 20(20), 191–208. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034399202003.
Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., et al. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leadings causes of death in adults. The adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 14(4), 245–258.
Forbes, R., Jones, R., & Reupert, A. (2012). In the wake of the 2009 Gippsland fires: Young adults’ perceptions of post-disaster social supports. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 20, 119–125. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1584.2012.01271.x.
Gibbs, L., MacDougall, C., & Harden, J. (2013). Development of an ethical methodology for post-bushfire research with children. Health Sociology Review, 22(2), 114–123. https://doi.org/10.5172/hesr.2013.22.2.114.
King, L. S., Osofsky, J. D., Osofsky, H. J., Weems, C. F., Hansel, T. C., & Fassnacht, G. M. (2015). Perceptions of Trauma and loss among children and adolescents exposed to disasters a mixed-methods study. Current Psychology, 34, 524–536. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-015-9348-4.
King, T. A., & Tarrant, R. A. C. (2013). Children’s knowledge, cognitions and emotions surrounding natural disasters: An investigation of Year 5 students, Wellington, New Zealand. Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies, 1, 17–26.
Lawler, J., & Patel, M. (2012). Exploring children’s vulnerability to climate change and their role in advancing climate change adaption in East Asia and the Pacific. Environmental Development, 3, 123–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2012.04.001.
Luhar, A. K., Emmerson, K. M., Reisen, F., Williamson, G. J., & Cope, M. E. (2020). Modelling smoke distribution in the vicinity of a large and prolonged fire from an open-cut coal mine. Atmospheric Environment, 229, 117471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117471.
Lundy, L. (2007). Voice’ is not enough: Conceptualising Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. British Education Research Journal, 33(6), 927–945. https://doi.org/10.1080/01411920701657033.
Luthar, S. S., Cicchettei, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The construction of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Development, 71(3), 543–562. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00164.
MacDonald, J. P., Harper, S. L., Willox, A. C., & Edge, V. L. (2012). A necessary voice: Climate change and lived experiences of youth in Rigolet, Nunatsiavut. Canada. Global Environmental Change, 23(1), 360–371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2012.07.010.
McFarlane, A. C. (1987). Family functioning and overprotection following a natural disaster: The longitudinal effects of post-traumatic morbidity. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 21(2), 210–218. https://doi.org/10.3109/00048678709160914.
McFarlane, A. C., & Van Hooff, M. (2009). Impact of childhood exposure to a natural disaster on adult mental health: 20-year longitudinal follow-up study. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 195(2), 142–148. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.108.054270.
Morrow, V. (2008). Ethical dilemmas in research with children and young people about their social environments. Children’s Geographies, 6(1), 49–61. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733280701791918.
Mudavanhu, C., Manyena, S. B., Collins, A. E., Bongo, P., Mavhura, E., & Manatsa, D. (2015). Taking children’s voices in disaster risk reduction a step forward. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 6, 267–281. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13753-015-0060-7.
Nikku, B. R. (2013). Children’s rights in disaster: Concerns for social work – Insights from South Asia and possible lessons from Africa. International Social Work, 56(1), 51–66.
Peek, L. (2008). Children and disasters: Understanding vulnerability, developing capacities, and promoting resilience – An introduction. Children, Youth and Environments, 18(1), 1–29.
Peek, L., & Stough, L. M. (2010). Children with disabilities in the context of disaster: A social vulnerability perspective. Child Development, 81(4), 1260–1270. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01466.x.
Penrose, A., & Takaki, M. (2006). Children’s rights in emergencies and disasters. Lancet, 367(9511), 698–699.
Prout, A., & James, A. (1997). A new paradigm for the sociology of childhood? Provenance, promise and problems. In A. James & A. Prout (Eds.), Constructing and reconstructing childhood: Contemporary issues in the sociological study of childhood. London: Falmer Press.
Rohan, K. R., & Johnston, D. M. (2005). Promoting community resilience in disasters: The role for schools, youth, and families. New York: Springer.
Salazar, A. M., Keller, T. E., Gowen, L. K., & Courtney, M. E. (2013). Trauma exposure and PTSD among older adolescents in foster care. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 48(4), 545–551. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0563-0.
Stokes, H., & Turnbull, M. (2016). Evaluation of the Berry Street Education Model: Trauma informed positive education enacted in mainstream schools. Retrieved from: http://education.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1962718/User_croftsj_Stokes_26_Turnbull_Final_Web_18-5-16.pdf
Teague, B., Catford, E. J., & Petering, S. (2014). The Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry. Retrieved from: http://report.hazelwoodinquiry.vic.gov.au/
Towers, B. (2012). Children’s knowledge of bushfire hazards. Fire note. (Issue no. 89). Retrieved from: http://www.bushfirecrc.com/sites/default/files/managed/resource/childrens_knowledge_of_bushfire_hazards.pdf
United Nations (1989). United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved from: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CRC.aspx
Vinson, T., Rawsthorne, M., Beavis, A., & Ericson, M. (2015). Dropping off the edge 2015: Persistent communal disadvantage in Australia. Retrieved from: https://www.vinnies.org.au/icms_docs/222454_Dropping_off_the_edge_report.pdf
Walker, J., Carroll, M., & Chisholm, M. (2017). Policy review of the impact of the Hazelwood mine fire on older people: Final Report. Retrieved from: http://hazelwoodhealthstudy.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Policy-Review-Older-People-v1.0-website.pdf
Wood, P. J., Duffy, M., Yell, S., Morrissey, B., Whyte, S., Walker, L., et al. (2015). Coal mine fire initial impact on community health and wellbeing summary report. Churchill, Victoria: Federation University Australia.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge Grace Slatter for assisting with data analysis. We would also like to acknowledge the Victorian Department of Education and Training and the Catholic Education Office of Sale for granting permission for this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interests
On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.
Ethics Approval
This article contains research conducted with human participants. Human Research Ethics Committee approval was obtained for this research. Informed consent was also obtained from all individual participants included in the study
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Appendix
Appendix
Child and Adolescent Interview Questions
-
Think back to the time of the mine fire:
-
What do you remember about this time, if anything?
-
Did you live in Morwell during the time? Where did you live during this time?
-
What was it like being at home during the time?
-
What school did you go to during the time?
-
What was it like being at school during the time?
-
What, if any, impact did it have on you?
-
What, if any, impact did it have on your family?
-
What, if any, impact did it have on your friends?
-
What did you do at this time, if anything?
-
What did your friends do, if anything?
-
What did your parents do, if anything?
-
What happened at school at this time? What was different or the same, if anything?
-
What, if anything, helped you during this time?
-
Were there things that others did that really helped?
-
Were there things that you did yourself that helped?
-
What about now…..?
-
What is it like for you now after what happened?
-
What is it like for your friends now after what happened?
-
What is it like for your family now after what happened?
-
What is it like for your school now after what happened?
-
Do you worry or think about what happened at all?
-
Do you ever avoid thinking about what happened?
-
Have you had any of these problems since the mine fire? Trouble sleeping? Trouble eating? Losing your temper? Paying attention? On the ‘look out’ more often? If yes, can you tell me more about it?
-
What, if anything, would have helped you at the time? How might this have helped you?
-
What, if anything, do you think needs to happen for kids in these sorts of situations?
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Berger, E., Maybery, D. & Carroll, M. Children’s Perspectives on the Impact of the Hazelwood Mine Fire and Subsequent Smoke Event. Child Youth Care Forum 49, 707–724 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-020-09551-8
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-020-09551-8