Checklist to consider before responding to children

What has prompted the issue being raised: what have children heard and how have they heard it?

do they know through media reports?
do they know through adults or peers around them talking?
have they had direct personal experience?
has someone they know had direct personal experience?

What are their fears?

War, terror and natural disasters

(four basic children’s questions from PSB website)

will I be OK?
will you be OK?
will everyone I love be OK?
will the world be OK?

Racial harassment including islamophobia

will I be hurt?
will people I love be hurt?
will my community be hurt?
has everyone turned against me?
has everyone turned against people I love?
has everyone turned against my community?

How old are the children?

What do they understand, and what can they cope with?