Child and Youth Programs
Grief is a natural reaction to death. It is the normal process that a person experiences after, or in anticipation of, the death of a loved one. Children and youth express grief and loss differently from adults and may have varying responses in different domains; for example, academic, behavioral, emotional, social, and physical. They might find themselves feeling numb and removed from daily life, unable to carry on with regular activities while saddled with their sense of loss. Alternatively, they may not fully experience the felt sense of their loss and carry on with daily life, only for their grief to surface at a later, undetermined time. The type of support that children and youth receive during their bereavement can impact their health, social relationships, and future success in life endeavors.
One-to-One Grief Support for Children and Youth
Children’s Grief Support Group
Pre-teen Grief Support Group
Teen Grief Peer Support Training

Program Goals
- To provide an accepting and safe environment for children and youth to meet and talk about their grief and loss experiences
- To provide bereaved children and youth with information about grief and loss in order to better understand their feelings of grief
Program Objectives
- To provide safe, hands-on learning opportunities for children and youth to express their feelings of grief
- To decrease the isolation and loneliness that children and youth may feel following the death of someone they know
- To normalize children and youth’s grief experiences through a variety of friendship-building and grief-related activities
- To support children and youth in strengthening resiliency skills needed to navigate future losses and life transitions
Our Guiding Principles
- Every child and youth is entitled to the opportunity to grieve in a supportive, informed and understanding environment
- Open communication about death, grief and loss helps children and youth to move forward in life
- Children and youth naturally process their grief through playful, creative activities
- Grieving children and youth need to have their questions and concerns addressed, even when unable to express them directly themselves
Topics may include:
- Sharing our stories
- Talking about grief
- Expressing grief through art, music and play
- Learning about feelings
- Sharing special memories
- Commemorating a special life
- Taking joy in our time together
Recent Updates