Children and young people living in the region’s temporary emergency pod villages have been exposed to community and domestic violence, drug-affected residents, and arguments between neighbours, a year long study has found.
The study, conducted by the Office of the Advocate for Children and Young People (ACYP), reflected the voices of more than 630 children and young people affected by the 2022 Northern Rivers floods, including the 300 living in the pod villages.
Urgent exit strategy
It recommends that the state government urgently develop an exit strategy for families and individuals in the villages to transition to more secure housing.
‘It is important… that we work with government and community to review the current living situations of these children, young people and families’, said ACYP’s Zoë Robinson.
‘I have concerns about the ongoing impact,’ she said.
Young people living in the pod villages said that they had witnessed the attendance of police or other emergency services owing to serious concerns, including domestic and family violence, arguments between residents and health-related concerns. This had left them feeling unsafe.
Some said they had been unable to sleep, because the pod village sites were noisy at night, which impacted on their capacity to maintain a healthy routine and get up on time for school.
The study noted that during initial consultations with children and young people in early 2023, boredom and the absence of any meaningful, age-appropriate activities at temporary pod villages was spoken about.
However, there had subsequently been a positive increase in the number of activities that were being run for children and young people at many pod village sites.
The final report following the study makes a series of recommendations, including that government undertake an evaluation of current disaster recovery and preparedness responses, which complies with obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
It also recommends that there be an increase in the provision of school counsellors at all schools across the Northern Rivers, as well as clinically-trained mental health practitioners specialising in working with young people in disaster recovery with support delivered in person by way of outreach.
Funding and resources needed to be provided for increased public transport across the region, and the application process for disaster recovery payments needed to be made more youth-friendly.
A feasibility study into the implementation of a youth-specific disaster recovery payment was also needed.
‘It is essential that we listen to the children and young people who have been impacted by the disaster event and any ongoing work in government, community and business should be informed by these recommendations,’ Ms Robinson said.
Impacts of pod village living
‘They have lived in pod villages; relocated to places away from their friends, community, and school. They have worked together as a community and stood tall when it has been hard to do so,’ she said.
‘They, like other young people across the state, are still recovering from the disaster event, but also have additional complexities that we need to understand.
‘There is an important opportunity to lift these voices, include them in any policy and practice, and rebuild a community in a thoughtful and empathetic way.’
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