Supporting Grieving Children

A child’s understanding of loss is tied to their developmental stage. By extension this means they need support in processing and making sense of their loss experiences. A tool we use in our work with bereaved children and families is books. It is important that the child be able to see themselves in the words and images of the book’s content. A book that does not fit a child’s loss experience risks compromising a sense of safety and belonging – both already in jeopardy in the context of loss. In this workshop we’ll explore the relationship among developmental stages, grief responses, signs of distress and support strategies. We’ll also look at ways to choose books to fit with a child’s/youth’s bereavement needs.