Children and Teens
Grief Support
Download the Children and Teens Grief Support flyer (PDF)
By the time students complete high school, most will experience the death of a family member or friend; with 5% of children experiencing the death of a parent by 16 years of age. Nearly 40% will experience a death of a peer; 20% will have witnessed a death.
Schools can often be the best setting to provide services to students (and staff) after a loss that affects a student or school community:
- Schools provide a familiar & convenient environment
- Large numbers of students can be served
- Students coping after a loss can be monitored over time and referrals for clinical services can be facilitated as needed
Grieving Students
In a grieving student, the following changes in behavior and/or occurrence of symptoms constitute a high-risk student for whom a referral for grief support may be appropriate:
- Drop in grades
- Angry outbursts
- Hyperactivity
- Depression
- Discussions about wanting to die
- Changes in physical symptoms
- Feelings of guilt
- Lack of communication
- Identity change
- Isolation or withdrawal
- Use of drugs or alcohol
Loss for children and teens can come in many shapes and sizes – loss of a loved one, loss of family structure, moving to a new town, etc. Sharing their stories among peers who have similar struggles brings hope and strength for their journey.
Goals of children/teen grief support:
- Help students identify feelings related to loss
- Teach students how to express feelings appropriately
- Work at developing coping and communication skills
Short-term age appropriate groups meet weekly either during school or after school:
Elementary: 2 – 4 weeks
Middle School: 4 – 6 weeks
Senior High: 6 – 8 weeks
Download the Children and Teens Grief Support flyer (PDF)