Children after a disaster. Guidelines for a psicoafective intervention directed to non-specialized mental health people

The objective of this article is the presentation of a reference document aimed at non-specialists in mental health treatment of children in disaster situations by means of strategies and methodological procedures that take into account their physical and psychoaffective vulnerability. The study was performed in nine stages: a) literature review of the major information centers, b) review of government policies in relation to mental health and emergency care, c) interviews with personnel involved in responding to disasters d) interviews with children who have experienced the consequences of a disaster, e) personal interviews with adult education professionals, f) systematization of information obtained g) elaboration of the contents of the guide, h) validation of their contents, and i) production of the final document. The results show that at present, methodologies in child care after a disaster should not be unique or excessively professionalized.