These modules are intended to provide emergency shelter planners, staff, and volunteers in Puerto Rico with basic recommendations and best practices for incorporating the needs of children and families into the planning and operation of shelters.

According to past experiences, gaps in child protection services and protocols in the operation of emergency shelters lead to the lack of protection of children, which could lead to abuse, neglect, trauma, or lack of appropriate medical care, among others, limiting a child’s possibilities of resilience and recovery after a disaster.

These modules do not intend to replace existing protocols from public agencies and shelter administrators, they only intend to serve as guidelines for filling gaps in preparedness focused on children, aiming to ensure the wellbeing and safety of children remains a priority during emergencies.

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These modules were developed with the collaboration of:

  • ESCAPE, Centro de Fortalecimiento Familiar
  • Alimentación Segura Infantil (ASI)
  • Puerto Rico Association for the Education of Young Children (PRAEYC)
  • Institute for Disaster Mental Health (IDMH) at SUNY New Paltz
  • Puerto Rico Psychology Association (APPR)
  • Administration for Addiction and Mental Health Services (ASSMCA)
  • Department of Health, Humacao
  • Department of Housing, Humacao

These modules also had the collaboration of a Content Committee, composed of experts from various public and private organizations, and the EcoExploratorio: Puerto Rico’s Science Museum for dissemination and promotion.

Only available in Spanish.