'Children grieve too' - national awareness week for bereaved children begins
Ottoline Spearman
Bereaved Children’s Awareness Week starts on Monday, marking ten years of advocacy and awareness for children experiencing bereavement across Ireland.
Organised by Irish Childhood Bereavement Network (ICBN), Tusla, and the Irish Hospice Foundation, the campaign runs from Monday November 17th to Sunday November 23rd.
The organisations are calling on people to get involved and show their support under the theme “Children Grieve Too.”
The week is a reminder children experience loss deeply and, with the right support, can learn to live with their grief in healthy and hopeful ways.
Throughout the week, ICBN will showcase the healing power of books and stories, which can help children and young people understand and express their grief.
In collaboration with Children’s Books Ireland, ICBN will publish a specially curated Reading List designed to help local organisations create bereaved children’s “Book Nooks”.
Events will take place across the country in healthcare settings, schools, family resource centres, and community venues.
Three webinars will also take place, including an open evening for parents and carers, a schools-focused session in partnership with Rainbows, and an introduction to culturally sensitive approaches to bereavement support facilitated by AkiDwA - Network of Migrant Women living in Ireland.
Sonia Rennicks, Children’s Bereavement Manager at Irish Hospice Foundation said: “Children experience grief in their own unique ways, and it’s our responsibility as adults to create safe spaces where they feel heard, understood, and supported.
"We want to encourage curiosity about children’s grief and help parents and carers feel empowered to have those important conversations."
Paula O’Reilly, CEO of Irish Hospice Foundation said: “As we mark ten years of Bereaved Children’s Awareness Week, we reflect on how far we’ve come in recognising that children grieve too.
"Every child who experiences loss deserves support, understanding, and the tools to navigate their grief."
