Support for Children

Healing and hope

Grieving kids of all ages, from infants to teens, need to be supported and nurtured. A child's family can be the first line of support, but after a death, often the family is suffering just as much as the child is, which can make it harder to find the energy or the concentration to reach out to the child.

A caring community can support the grieving child's normal, natural process of grief and encourage healing and growth. With that support, the grieving child can grow to find hope in the midst of their grief.

What is the Highmark Caring Place?

The Highmark Caring Place, A Center for Grieving Children, Adolescents, and Their Families, is committed to helping grieving children get the support they deserve.

A community resource, the Caring Place offers services at no charge to grieving families throughout the community. No insurance is necessary.

The Caring Place provides peer support to children who have experienced the death of someone important in their lives, providing a safe place where grieving children and families can come together and be with others who understand what they’re going through.

For families

The Caring Place offers comprehensive services to children and their families after the death of a loved one, including:

• Peer support groups
• Referral services
• Educational programs
• Adult telephone support and resources

For schools and other professionals

For schools and other professionals in the community who work with children, the Caring Place provides:

• Peer support groups in the schools
• Consultation services
• Educational presentations and trainings
• Resources, including brochures such as "Questions Grieving Children Ask" or "Preparing a Child for a Funeral or Cremation"