Sharleen Keleher

This thesis is an evaluation of an early educator-led intervention to support young children (birth - 4 years) in processing the emotional impacts of natural disasters. This evaluation will incorporate process, resource and outcome evaluations of the Recovering Together After a Natural Disaster resources guide and an accompanying training program. In addition, this evaluation focuses on critical factors relevant to capacity building of the early childhood workforce to support children's social and emotional well-being through the experience and recovery from a natural disaster.

This research is important as it addresses a gap in the literature and practice in supporting young children's resilience and social-emotional well-being in relation to experiences of natural disaster events. Children under five are underrepresented in the natural disaster resilience literature and interventions. It is anticipated that training early childhood educators in specific skills targeted at supporting social and emotional well-being, resilience, and the impacts of natural disasters will improve both the social-emotional well-being of children and the self-efficacy of early childhood educators in supporting child social-emotional well-being.

Queensland Centre for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health