Helping children cope with deadly London, Ont. crash
Efforts are underway to help children affected by Tuesday night’s devastating crash on Riverside Drive.
“When we overwhelm kids’ sense of safety and security in how the world works we see changes in behaviour,” said Dr. Claire Crooks, the director of the School for Mental Health at Western University. “We see some kids might get nightmares or more worried or more defiant. And that’s all normative. And when we start to worry about reactions is when time goes on and they’re not changing.”
An eight-year-old girl died, while several more children and one adult were injured when a vehicle struck 10 pedestrians Tuesday night.
Crooks said being patient and following children’s leads will help them cope.
“Some kids may want to talk about this, some don’t need to. We know that children process these events differently. It’s not helpful for us to sort of insist that kids talk about something like this because some of them may not need to, and talking about it may actually make them feel more agitated or upset.”
The Thames Valley District School Board has dispatched its Traumatic Events Response Team to its schools affected by the crash.
Director of Education Mark Fisher has offered condolences on behalf of the board. He added that they’re trying to be sensitive to the situation.
“We recognize that this is a triggering event for many in our community based on the terrorist attack that happened last June, and so we have to be sensitive to the needs of everybody to make sure that we’re looking after one another. One of the things that happens in these situations is that it often brings out the best in our staff and we work together to support everybody to make sure that we’re okay.”
The London District Catholic School Board is also providing support to its affected schools, according to Superindent Ana Paula Fernandes.
“We provide resources for our teachers, for educators, as well as tip sheets for our caregivers. At times, if needed, we’re out in our schools. The presence of chaplaincy, social work, the presence of senior administration lending that additional hand.”
Both school boards, along with London Police Service, say they won’t be releasing the names of the victims at this time to respect the wishes of their families.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Saskatchewan households will continue to receive carbon tax rebate: Trudeau
Households in Saskatchewan will continue to receive Canada Carbon Rebate payments, despite the province refusing to remit the federal carbon price on natural gas, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday.
'It's just so hard to let it go': Umar Zameer still haunted by death of Toronto police officer
“It's just so hard to let it go. I mean, everyone is telling me, ‘you have to move on,’ but I know someone is not here [anymore]. So I don't know how I will move on." That’s what Umar Zameer, the man recently acquitted in the death of a Toronto police officer, told CTV News Toronto in a sit-down interview on Tuesday.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.