Collaboratively supporting healthy childhood development, wellbeing and resilience in disaster settings: Thriving Kids In Disasters

20 Aug 2026
Australian Disaster Resilience Conference | Meeting Room 213
Infants, children, and young people are disproportionately affected by disasters, yet their healthy development, wellbeing and long-term resilience are not consistently prioritised in disaster management systems. In Queensland, this challenge is amplified by compounding disasters, climate change, and increasing social, environmental, and workforce pressures. 

Queensland Kids Partnership (QKP) brings people together to shift mindsets and systems that impede kids’ development and wellbeing. One expression of this work is the Thriving Kids in Disasters (TKiD) initiative, which has evolved into a cross-sector Alliance focused on shifting mindsets, practices, systems, and outcomes. 

Building on evidence and relationships developed through foundational work commissioned by the John Villiers Trust in early 2024, the Alliance has produced a Thriving Kids in Disasters Action and Investment Plan, providing a shared roadmap for coordinated action, investment, and accountability.

Underpinning these actions is the Alliance’s desire to scale deep. Scaling deep focuses on changing the assumptions, relationships, and decision-making practices that shape systems. For local governments and disaster management practitioners, this is evident when child development and wellbeing is naturally considered in Local Disaster Management Plans, briefings, recovery decisions, and investment conversations - not because policy requires it, but because it has become embedded practice.

Reflecting this approach, shared system-level priorities include:

 strengthening recognition of infant, child, youth and family wellbeing as a core disaster management priority;

 improving connectivity across child, youth, and family and disaster management ecosystems to address complex, cross-system challenges; and

influencing policy, practice, and investment to better support children’s healthy development, wellbeing, and resilience amid compounding disasters and extreme weather events.

This presentation will share insights from the TKiD journey, including how partnerships are formed and sustained, how evidence and lived experience are translated into action, and lessons learned about shifting systems to better support children and their caregivers in and beyond disasters. 
 
Speakers
Alisha Chand
Alisha Chand, Principle Partnership Manager - Disaster Resilience and Country, Queensland Kids Partnership
Anita Egginton
Anita Egginton, Senior Partnership Officer- Disaster Resilience, Queensland Kids Partnership