Creating Safe, Family-Friendly Spaces in Emergency Shelters

Creating a family-friendly space

Families often experience stress and uncertainty when displaced from their homes during an emergency. Family-friendly spaces within shelters can help reduce stress by providing families with:

• A private, safe, and dedicated space to breastfeed.
• Skilled infant feeding and nutrition support.
• Space to enjoy quiet time with their baby.

Ideas

Depending on the facility or shelter, you might:

• Dedicate an unused office, classroom, or closet for a family-friendly space. If a separate room is not available, a corner space with a partition or divider could also provide privacy.
• Set up portable areas such as tents.
• Set up screens or dividing walls. Hang curtains, sheets, or tarps. Use of classroom chalkboards or dry-erase boards on wheels, if available, as privacy dividers.

If the space is large enough, set it up so that multiple families can use it comfortably. However, families should not be forced to breastfeed children in spaces with multiple families. Mothers can breastfeed anywhere but may feel more comfortable breastfeeding in a private area. A quiet, private area can also help settle an overstimulated baby.

Important components

Family-friendly space needs to be:

• Private.
• Cleaned and disinfected frequently (at least every 4–6 hours for infection prevention and control).
• Easily accessible to those with disabilities or special health care needs.

Family-friendly space needs to have:

• A comfortable place to sit, such as a chair or cushions.
• Adequate lighting.
• Safe drinking water. This is especially important for breastfeeding mothers.
• Small refrigerator dedicated to storing expressed breast milk, when possible.
• An outlet for pumping breast milk (Note: pumps should only be used if pump equipment can be properly cleaned and milk can be safely stored.)
• Toys that are appropriate for young children and can be wiped down easily.
• Appropriate and well-marked signage, in English and other languages spoken in the community, to direct families to designated spaces.
• Easy access to safe water and areas for cleaning, food preparation, handwashing, and bathing.
• Dedicated space for feeding. Separate this from areas to change diapers, clean infant feeding items, and prepare infant formula and foods for young children.
• Space for each family to store supplies, such as diapers and wipes. Some families might also need space for supplies to clean infant feeding items. These include:
  • Washbasin.
  • Soap.
  • Scrub brush.
  • Mesh bag to hang items to dry.
  • Instructions for proper cleaning steps.
  • Chlorine bleach if hot water or a heat source for sanitizing is not available to disinfect cleaning supplies.

Example of space arrangement

One

• Separate area to change diapers and bathe infants.
• Handwashing stations.

Two

• Place to clean infant feeding items.
• Place to prepare infant formula and solid foods.

Three

• Electrical outlets for breast pumps.
• Private and accessible space for all families.

Four

• Toys for young children.
• Comfortable place to sit.
• Dedicated space for feeding.

Five

• Safe drinking water available.
• Small refrigerator for storing expressed breast milk.
• Disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer.