Sarah Murdoch, 50, stuns at launch of toolkit to help Australians kids affected by natural disasters

Sarah Murdoch was the star of the show at the launch of a new initiative to help Aussie kids cope during natural disasters.

Ms Murdoch, 50 stunned in a designer linen midi dress on Thursday with a hand-drawn floral Australiana pattern stamped on it as she helped release a new resource kit to support parents of children emotionally impacted by bushfires and floods. 

She was also wearing a delicate tennis bracelet and chunky fitness watch, as she took to the podium at the event in Manly, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Ms Murdoch, 50, stunned in a designer linen midi dress with hand-drawn floral Australiana pattern stamped on it

Ms Murdoch was in a playful mood, joking and launching with children and adults but had a serious message too.

The Royal Far West Resilient Kids Toolkit is a physical pack containing a guide for parents, a picture book, a therapeutic toy and various mental health resources. 

Four thousand of the kits will be sent to families in remote and rural communities in New South Wales that have been affected by natural disasters.

Ms Murdoch was inspired to get involved after learning that children can lose their sense of safety, develop mental health issues and struggle at school following disasters or emergencies.

Charity Royal Far West said the impacts on children from natural disasters can include nightmares, intrusive memories, low mood, anxiety, poor concentration, stomach pains, headaches, irritability, friendship difficulties, struggling with schoolwork and increased family conflict.

Research has shown that children born in 2020 will endure an average of 30 extreme heatwaves in their lifetimes, seven times as many as someone born in 1960.

Ms Murdoch was in a playful mood, joking and launching with children and adults but had a serious message too

She was inspired to get involved with the Royal Far West Resilient Kids Toolkit after learning that children can lose their sense of safety, develop mental health issues and struggle at school following disasters

RFW CEO Jacqueline Emery said experiencing a traumatic event like a bushfire or flood can have a devasting long-term impact on a child’s mental health, emotional wellbeing, learning and development.

‘The impact is heightened if children are not provided with the right support to process what they have been through in the months and years after the disaster event. Recovery takes time.

‘For children in rural and remote areas – where most of the impacts of natural disasters are felt – the trauma is compounded by difficulty in accessing the vital health and wellbeing services and support they need. 

‘While access to services is key, building the capacity of parents with effective tools and information, like the Resilient Kids Toolkit, can make a critical difference.’

A father holds onto his daughter as the skies above Mallacoota turn red during the day on January 4, 2020 

The toolkit, aimed at children up to the age of 16, will be distributed to families across NSW and also has an online guide.

It is was one of several charitable initiatives the Sarah and Lachlan Murdoch Foundation has helped fund since 2019.

Their foundation has given $10m to not-for-profits including children’s, arts, medical and women’s charities.