The children at Rose Hill Roman Catholic School may have far reaching issues from their traumatic experience this week.
This is according to Dr Karen Moore Clinical Child Psychologist and Co-ordinator of the Franciscan Institute Trauma Team.
Earlier this week, a video circulating on social media showed young children in uniform taking cover under tables and being urged to stay calm by a teacher as gunshots were heard in the back ground.
Dr Moore told News Power Now that these children were stuck in what is described as a condition of freeze, where they were unable to move.
She said what may happen later on is that this may become their automatic response to a situation, to freeze then surrender themselves because there’s no use doing anything.
She said help from the education system is critical.
She said returning to the school could be quite traumatic.
Dr Moore explained that the level of trauma would depend on the level of intervention and support they receive in the meantime and how much work is done with them.
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