For Professionals Serving Grieving Children

Referrals

The impact of the death of a loved one can be devastating. The effects last a lifetime and we don't just "get over" the loss. Grieving for those who die is a process experienced by everyone who has loved. Everybody grieves when there is a death. Grief is a universal response to death. The exact nature of the grief will vary according to circumstance.

Factors influencing a person's grief reaction include:

  • The cause of the death
  • Age (of the survivors)
  • Relationship to the deceased
  • Availability of support

At the Highmark Caring Place , we provide peer support groups for children and families following the death of a loved one. Within these groups children and adults share their feelings and memories with others who understand what they are going through because of their own similar personal experiences.

Having a place to express your feelings as you grieve is vital to the grieving process as well. Knowing that others are feeling these same things-seeing that your peers are having the same struggles as you do- reassures grieving children and adults that what they are going through is normal and that they are not going crazy.

However, a peer support group facilitated by volunteers may not be the most appropriate level of support and help for all grieving children and adults. Grief that has been complicated by a traumatic death, for example, requires a more therapeutic intervention prior to engaging in the memory work within a support group.

Families who call the Caring Place , and in some cases, families who are already involved in our programs, who need a different level of service than we can provide are referred to the appropriate community resource. Staff will assess the needs of the family and then assist them in connecting with the program that will best meet their needs. Caring Place staff in all three facilities have built partnerships with a variety of community organizations so that the appropriate referrals can be made and can aid the family in getting the help they need as quickly as possible.