We Offer Support and Consultation for Grieving Parents and Guardians caring for a Grieving Child
Penn Medicine Hospice Child Bereavement Services offers support and guidance to parents and guardians who are tending to a grieving child. The health and wellbeing of the adult in their lives will impact a child's ability to grieve. The program seeks to support the role of the adult caregiver to engage with the grieving child. This can be challenging when the adult is feeling the same loss. Our child bereavement counselors will support and guide caregivers in the process of developing ways to connect and grieve with the child.
In addition, the David Bradley Bereavement Program can offer support and guidance to teachers and guidance counselors to support the grieving child in their classrooms. Knowing that children can feel isolated from other children while they are grieving — the program will offer quarterly peer support workshops for kids to engage with one another through play and remembrance activities.
What Child Bereavement Coordinators provide
Pre-bereavement and grief support following the death of a significant person through virtual and telephonic sessions with the adult caregiver- Engagement with the family to grieve together in developmentally appropriate ways
- Risk Assessments and targeted referrals when the family needs a higher level of support
- Support working with school counselors and teachers to understand the grief journey for children
- Quarterly workshops and specialty programs providing discussion, art, play and other activities
For local community groups, churches and schools, our counselors and chaplains are available for consultations, facilitating group discussions and serving as speakers on bereavement or end of life topics.
Schedule a Consultation
To schedule a consultation or speak with the a representative with the Child Bereavement Program:
Selected Reading For Caregivers
Child Bereavement Videos
Children and Grief: Symptoms and Coping Strategies for Grieving Youth
Child bereavement coordinator, Jenny Swanson, provides coping strategy suggestions for youth from the lens of introversion and extroversion.
How to Support Children When a Family Member is Dying
Part of the Penn Medicine Bereavement Services video series, this video provides information and practical suggestions for parents and care-providers about how to explain death and support children when a family member or other loved one is dying.
Developmental Understanding of Illness, Dying and Bereavement
Part of the Penn Medicine Bereavement Services video series, this video by Kathryn Opher provides practical information for parents and care-providers about what they can expect their child to understand about their loved one's illness, death and grief.
Camp Erin Philadelphia
Camp Erin Philadelphia is open to children and teens ages 6 to 17 who experienced the death of someone important in their lives.
Support the David Bradley Children's Bereavement Program
The success of the David Bradley Children's Bereavement Program depends primarily on the generosity of those who want to invest in the healthy future of a grieving child.
Learn more about funding opportunities to help support the program