Psychological First Aid for Children

In any tragic event—such as explosions, burning buildings, or vehicle accidents—victims with physical injuries are often identifiable almost instantly. However, children may be just as traumatised in other situations, even if there are no visible injuries.

There is no one specific way in which children respond during crises, and some may not be easily identified. Children’s responses generally fall under the following categories: behaviour, feelings, and thoughts.

This summary focuses on signs of psychosocial distress observed in children aged between 7 and 16 years—an age group we support at our learning centres throughout the year. In general, children may respond in the following ways:

The child may show the following behaviours:

• Restlessness and aggression, and may even be defiant towards authority figures (including their teacher)
• Reduced interest in activities they normally enjoy; withdrawal from friends and family
• Repetitive talk or play about the event; may become self-absorbed
• Reluctance to attend school

They may experience the following feelings:

• Intense grief, and a tendency to self-blame, guilt, or shame
• Hopelessness about the present and future (feeling confused or depressed)
• Denial, indifference, or emotional numbness

They may have the following thoughts:

• Distrust in adults to protect them (especially in cases where adults were abusive)
• Excessive concern and anxiety about others affected
• Guilt over being unable to help those who were hurt

What Can Teachers Do When Helping Traumatised Children?

• Establish the facts by asking open-ended questions and share with your Centre Manager if needed.
  Examples: What happened? / What made you do that? / How do you feel? / Tell me more…
• Summarise what the child shares to show they’ve been heard.
  Example: “It must have been a great shock for you—you just didn’t know what to do.”
• Reflect and identify emotional content to highlight feelings.
  Example: “It must have been very upsetting for that to happen.”
• Clarify to ensure understanding.
  Example: “What I’ve understood is… did I get that right?”
• Encourage and affirm the child to talk without judgement.
  Example: “Thank you for sharing your concerns with me…”
• Respond with empathy and sincerity.
  Example: “I can tell this is really hard for you. What can we do to help you right now?”

Points to Consider When Providing Psychological First Aid

• Be aware of children’s exposure to traumatic images on social media.
• Limit media exposure to prevent distress.
• Protect the child from unwanted peer attention or curiosity.
• Do not pressure the child to recount events if they’re not ready.
• Refrain from sharing speculative or unverified information.
• Respect the child’s privacy and only share relevant details with authorised personnel.

Helpful Resources

Child Abuse

Counselling

Children, Youth and Parenting

Source: Course notes on Psychological First Aid for Children – a training programme under the Trauma Network for Children project, supported by KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.