Helping How To Support Your Child in the Grieving Process Children and Families are extremely important in supporting a young person who is grieving Teenager s and helping them to deal with their loss. Continuing with Grief your family life with as little interruption as possible, as well as their social and school life, allows your child to maintain a sense of Children will be faced with many losses in safety and security, and to feel hopeful their lives. It is a common instinct for parents about the future. and other carers to want to protect children It can be particularly challenging for families from the pain of grief. However it is to support each when a family member important for children to learn how to grieve has died. Everyone will grieve for the loss of and to be given the opportunity to grieve. their loved one in different ways, and may Children will about grieving from the not feel able to provide support while adults in their life. Children experience the grieving themselves. same feelings as adults but tend to express It is important to acknowledge that your their grief differently. Grief for children is not children may respond in ways that are constant, but comes in bursts. It is not unusual to explain a death difficult for you to understand.They might respond with defiant Children to a child and find that or risk-taking behaviour experience – they do not seem affected although this might seem the same feelings by it, or they want to go disruptive and frustrating to out and play.This does not as adults but you, it may be their way of mean they do not feel the coping and therefore tend to express pain of the loss. requires some their grief understanding. Younger children especially differently. Professional support for the and play. may ask the same questions many times.You may have to tell the story whole family might be helpful over and over As children get older they if you’re finding it difficult to support each other will grieve again.The loss will mean different through a loss. things to them at different stages. Often Youth specific information on grieving is children express their feelings through available at behaviour
Helping Children and Teenager s with Grief Children will be faced with many losses in their lives. It is a common instinct for parents and other carers to want to protect children from the pain of grief. However it is important for children to learn how to grieve and to be given the opportunity to grieve. Children will about grieving from the adults in their life. Children experience the same feelings as adults but tend to express their grief differently. Grief for children is not constant, but comes in bursts. It is not unusual to explain a death How To Support Your Child in the Grieving Process Families are extremely important in supporting a young person who is grieving and helping them to deal with their loss. Continuing your family life with as little interruption as possible, as well as their social and school life, allows your child to maintain a sense of safety and security, and to feel hopeful about the future. It can be particularly challenging for families to support each when a family member has died. Everyone will grieve for the loss of their loved one in different ways, and may not feel able to provide support while grieving themselves. It is important to acknowledge that your children may respond in ways that are difficult for you to understand.They might respond with defiant to a child and find that they do not seem affected by it, or they want to go out and play.This does not mean they do not feel the pain of the loss. Younger children especially Children experience the same feelings as adults but tend to express their grief differently. or risk-taking behaviour – although this might seem disruptive and frustrating to you, it may be their way of coping and therefore requires some understanding. Professional support for the may ask the same questions many times.You may have to tell the story over and over As children get older they will grieve again.The loss will mean different things to them at different stages. Often children express their feelings through behaviour and play. whole family might be helpful if you’re finding it difficult to support each other through a loss. Youth specific information on grieving is available at
DHHS_Sudden_Loss_Kit_Booklet_v3.docx