A CHILDRENS charity has been advising parents what to do if their children have been affected by the terror attack in Manchester. 

At least 22 people have been killed and more than 59 injured after an explosion following the Ariana Grande concert last night, Monday.

An NSPCC spokesperson said: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the devastating terror attack in Manchester.

"Our thoughts are with the victims and families of those who have been affected.

“Our advice for any child or teenager upset and anxious in light of this news is for them to talk to a trusted adult, be it a parent, teacher or Childline."

The NSPCC has published the following advice to help parents talk to their children about terrorism:

• Listen carefully to a child’s fears and worries

• Offer reassurance and comfort and avoid complicated and worrying explanations that could leave them more frightened and confused.

• Help them find advice and support to understand distressing events and feelings.

• Children can always contact Childline free and confidentially 24/7 If you’re worried about a child you can contact the NSPCC Helpline to talk to our trained practitioners for 24/7 help, support and advice on 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk

Winston's Wish, a charity for bereaved children, has also been issuing advice on some of the questions that are being asked by parents, teachers and others caring for children who are affected by the media coverage. 

A spokesman added: "We have compiled the answers below by drawing on our experiences of supporting children, young people and families bereaved through all causes, including through murder or manslaughter."

Things to remember

Talk to children using words they understand; give information to younger children a bit at a time

Try and encourage children to ask questions

Answer questions honestly and simply; talking about it won’t make it worse

Accept that some things can’t be ‘made better’

Show willingness to talk about difficult things and use this as an opportunity to reassure them

If children are asking questions, it is a good thing – it shows they trust you and it is better than keeping questions and worries to themselves

Remember that ‘super parents’ or ‘super teachers’ don’t exist. Just do and say what you can

Don’t be afraid to show children how you are feeling

How can we best explain this to our children and young people?

Talk to children using words they understand and are appropriate for their age. It’s best to use honest, clear language if possible. It’s probably best to tell children information a bit at a time, giving them the opportunity to come back with more questions. Older children will want and be able to handle more information.

The explanation can be basic, especially for young children – something like:-

‘All this news is because something very bad and very sad happened in Manchester. What seems to have happened is that someone attacked other people at a pop concert. It is very unusual that something like this happens.  This is one of the reasons why it is on the news and lots of people are talking about it; it is also because it is very upsetting that something like this could happen.  Everyone who has heard the news is very sad and worried.’

Should we stop children and young people watching television coverage or seeing the newspapers?

This story is upsetting for children because they can imagine something like this happening to them or someone close to them. The temptation is to try to prevent them hearing about it. However, because other children will have heard the news, it is better for your children to have the opportunity to ask questions and receive reassurance from people they trust.  Your judgement of what your child can understand is very valuable.  If your children are used to watching and discussing the news with you, they may be able to watch an early news bulletin with you beside them. Encourage children to ask questions about what they are seeing and answer as well as you can.

We know that we cannot shield children from these painful events and that attempting to do so can have negative consequences.  No child has ever told us they were glad someone lied to them about a death. However, there are studies that show repeatedly watching tragic events, such as the planes flying into the building on 9/11 may have negative psychological consequences (for adults and children).

What should I say about the person who did this?

It’s really hard to be calm about something this terrible. But, if you find it possible, try and distinguish between bad acts and bad people. Children find the idea of bad people particularly frightening.

Older children will appreciate more details and the opportunity to explore why people do such desperately terrible things and the way the families are feeling.  This can be an opportunity to help young people develop their empathy and reflect on the value of life and relationships.

How can I answer when they ask ‘why?’

If the children want to know ‘why?’ you could say something like:

‘No-one can completely know why. We know it wasn’t an accident. It’s so, so difficult to understand why anyone would be so cruel as to kill other people.’

My children are now scared that I – or they – will die.

Because of the unusual and horrific details of this incident, it is natural that children will question whether this might happen where they live or to people they know. When high profile events such as this happen, young people may temporarily lose their sense of security. They may ask questions such as ‘what would happen to me if you were killed?’ ‘What would happen if I had to hide during an attack like this? Try to answer with some solid reassurance, such as:

‘If one of us died for any reason, you would always be looked after by ­­­­­­______ (the other parent/aunt/uncle/granny/family friend). I don’t expect to die for a long time yet’.

‘The police will do all they can to make sure this sort of attack does not happen here. It is really, really unlikely that this will happen to anyone we know. We will keep you safe’.