Almost a quarter of children have trouble sleeping and a third are scared of rain – a year after Valencia flood disaster

A REPORT on effects of the Valencia floods in October, says that a YEAR later, over 30% of the children still admit to fearing rain or storms.

A further conclusion is that 24 % of children living in flood-affected areas still have sleep issues.

The study called ‘The backpack is muddy‘ was conducted by Save The Children and Valencia University.

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Researchers interviewed 2300 families affected and people working in education, social service, charities and politics.

A mother named Mari Carmen is quoted in the report as saying that her daughter has suffered trauma from the events of October 29.

Mari says, “She is afraid of going to English classes when it rains.

She continued, “I’ve spoken with other mothers about this and they all say that it is the same: when it rains the kids don’t want extracurricular activities.”

The report states that there are behavioural changes among children, such as increased anxiety or stress and a greater dependency on screens like tvs, computers, or phones as a means of escape.

Adolescents are more likely to have difficulty concentrating (12.4%), use electronic devices more (11.0%), and prefer socialism (7.0%).

According to the survey, 45.7% of parents are concerned about the emotional health of their children.

Over half (52.4%) of families admit their children’s education is a problem.

Rodrigo Hernandez said that in the face of a crisis, like the one in Valencia today, it was important to have schools open as quickly as possible.

“In the context of crisis, schooling helps these children to regain normality and a sense hope,” he explained

The cafeteria is a vital service for many families with low incomes.

In October 2024 more than 18000 children living in areas affected by flooding will need cafeteria access.

Hernandez stated that by keeping it open, it ensures the healthiest nutrition possible for those in greatest need.

Students who are unable to attend class experience a variety of emotional and relationshipal states.

After an emergency, psychological wounds tend to last longer. Hernandez said that we overlooked the fact that the administration should have provided more safe, caring and protective spaces to children and adolescents in order to reduce their emotional and psychological impact.

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Children and adolescents from municipalities affected by flooding have stopped participating sports (45.4%), in outdoor activities (28.0%), in cultural, recreational, or extracurricular activities (25.0%), and in extracurricular activities (24.7%).

Hernandez expressed her regret that many of the places where children and teenagers interact today remain unrestored despite being essential to their development.

DANA Alice’s issues in October brought back fears that were felt in the province a year earlier.

Save the Children warned, in June, that 93% (or children) in the Valencian Community will experience at the very least one extreme weather event every year.

Global warming is most likely to affect families living in poverty.

It is due to the fact that those most at risk live in areas where extreme weather events are more common and they have less ability to adapt.

Rodrigo Hernandez stated: “Families who have less resources have seen the impact of climate changes on housing and employment, which has led to an enormous loss of purchasing power. They also face greater challenges in balancing their work and home life, particularly in the case of families with only one parent.”

The ‘The backpack is mud-filled‘ report shows that almost 15% of the families surveyed lost their home and that one in four considers that their home is now less safe for children and adolescents than before the DANA.

Four out of five families (80.3%) living in ‘ground-zero’ flood municipalities occupy buildings that are still pending repairs or directly in homes that have been badly affected, but in which they are forced to live in.

One year later, infrastructure and economic revitalization are the main drivers of reconstruction in the area.

Save the Children warns of ‘the importance of not neglecting children, a group of priority attention in this process’.

It stresses that it is ‘essential that the welfare of children is taken account of in decision-making’.

Rodrigo Hernandez concluded, “It’s necessary to strengthen response in areas such education, mental health, and support for families who are vulnerable, by incorporating preventive measures and placing children in the centre of decision-making to ensure their rights and to strengthen their resilience against future emergencies.”

The Olive Press’ Valencia News is available by clicking here.