Childhood Bereavement Resources

Professional Support for Those Working with Grieving Children

When a child experiences loss, the adults around them often feel uncertain. What do I say? How do I help? What if I make it worse?

These resources have been created to give you clarity, confidence, and practical tools for supporting bereaved children in schools, care settings, homes, and communities.

Whether you're a teacher noticing behaviour changes, a care worker supporting a child through loss, or a professional wanting to deepen your understanding of childhood grief - these evidence-based guides will help you see what others miss and respond in ways that actually help.

📚 Understanding Childhood Grief

Grief in childhood looks different at every developmental stage. These resources explain what's happening beneath the surface and what children need from the adults around them.

How Children Grieve at Different Developmental Stages

A complete guide to childhood bereavement from toddlers to teenagers. Learn what grief looks like at ages 0-2, 3-5, 6-9, 10-12, and 13-18, and how to support each stage appropriately.

The Neuroscience of Childhood Grief

What happens in a child's brain and nervous system after loss? Understand the biological responses that shape grief behaviour and why punishment doesn't work.

Physical Signs of Grief in Children

Coming soon - How grief manifests in the body: stomach aches, headaches, sleep disruption, and somatic responses to loss.

Understanding Complicated Grief in Children

Coming soon - When grief becomes prolonged or traumatic, and what professional support looks like.

😤 Behaviour & Communication

The "difficult" child in your classroom or care setting might be grieving. These guides help you recognise grief beneath behaviour problems and respond with compassion.

Why Angry Children Are Often Grieving Children

Explosive behaviour, defiance, and rage are common grief responses. Learn why anger is often fear in disguise and how to respond without punishing the pain.

School Refusal After Bereavement: What Actually Helps

Up to 40% of grieving children avoid school. Understand separation anxiety after loss and the approaches that support children back into education.

When Defiance Is Actually Fear

Coming soon - Why oppositional behaviour often signals a dysregulated nervous system, not a discipline issue.

Understanding Withdrawal and Shutdown in Bereaved Children

Coming soon - The quiet child who seems "fine" might be struggling the most. Recognising hidden grief.

🧘 Practical Tools & Techniques

Body-based and creative approaches for children who can't or won't talk about loss.

Somatic Tools for Helping Children Process Grief

20+ practical body-based techniques when words aren't enough. Includes grounding exercises, breathwork, movement activities, and co-regulation strategies.

Creative Grief Activities for Non-Verbal Children

Coming soon - Art, play, and expressive activities that help children process loss without requiring verbal communication.

How to Talk to Children About Death: Age-Appropriate Scripts

Coming soon - What to say, what to avoid, and how to answer difficult questions from preschoolers to teenagers.

Questions Grieving Children Ask and How to Answer Them

Coming soon - "Where is Daddy now?" "Will you die too?" "Did I cause this?" - Responding with honesty and compassion.

🎯 Supporting Children in Different Settings

Setting-specific guidance for schools, care homes, and family environments.

Creating Grief-Informed Classrooms

Coming soon - How schools can adapt to support bereaved students without sacrificing standards or structure.

Supporting Grieving Children in Residential Care and Foster Settings

Coming soon - Considerations for looked-after children who often carry cumulative losses and complex trauma.

Recognising Grief in the Classroom: A Teacher's Guide

Coming soon - Behavioural, academic, and social signs that indicate a student is struggling with bereavement.

Supporting Families Through Childhood Bereavement

Coming soon - How to work with grieving parents while supporting their children through loss.

🎓 Specialist Topics

Complex presentations, diverse needs, and when to refer for additional support.

Supporting Children with SEND Through Bereavement

Coming soon - Adapted approaches for autistic children, those with ADHD, learning disabilities, and communication differences.

When a Child Loses a Parent: Long-Term Support Strategies

Coming soon - The unique impact of parental death and what children need across developmental stages.

Sibling Grief: When Children Lose a Brother or Sister

Coming soon - The often-overlooked grief of surviving siblings and how to support them.

When to Refer: Recognising Complex Grief in Children

Coming soon - Warning signs that indicate a child needs specialist mental health support beyond coaching or pastoral care.

Traumatic Loss vs Developmental Grief in Children

Coming soon - How sudden, violent, or witnessed death creates different support needs.

💼 Professional Training

Become a Child Grief Coach

Want to go beyond reading articles? Our Child Grief Coach Training is a comprehensive 3-day accredited programme that equips you to support bereaved children with depth, confidence, and practical skills.

What you'll gain:

✓ Complete understanding of childhood bereavement across all developmental stages
✓ Practical somatic and creative tools for children who can't verbalise grief
✓ A ready-to-deliver 6-week children's grief programme for schools and care settings
✓ Scripts for difficult conversations about death and loss
✓ Professional accreditation from ACCPH and IPHM
✓ Ongoing practitioner community support

Who it's for:

  • Teachers, pastoral leads, and SEN staff

  • Residential care workers and foster carers

  • Youth workers and early help practitioners

  • Counsellors, therapists, and wellbeing professionals

  • Anyone who supports bereaved children professionally

No counselling qualification needed - this training is designed for educators, care workers, and support professionals.

Learn more about Child Grief Coach Training →

Book your training place →

📖 Related Resources from The STILL Method

Adult Grief Support

Anxiety & Trauma Support

Find Support

🎯 How to Use These Resources

If you're a teacher: Start with "School Refusal After Bereavement" and "Recognising Grief in the Classroom" to identify students who need support.

If you're a care worker: Focus on "Supporting Children in Residential Care" and "Understanding Complicated Grief" for children with trauma histories.

If you're a parent: Begin with "How Children Grieve at Different Ages" and "How to Talk to Children About Death" for age-appropriate guidance.

If you're a professional trainer: Explore the Child Grief Coach Training for comprehensive skills and a deliverable programme you can use in your work.

If you're supporting a specific situation: Use the search function (Ctrl+F) to find relevant articles, or explore the categorised sections above.

📬 Stay Updated

New articles are added regularly. Bookmark this page and check back for the latest evidence-based guidance on supporting bereaved children.

Newsletter: Sign up for childhood bereavement insights →

Questions? Contact our team →

About The STILL Method

The STILL Method was created by Stuart Thompson, an award-winning therapist and Fellow of the ACCPH with over 25 years of experience in anxiety, trauma, and emotional safety work.

Over 2,000 children and young people have been supported through STILL Method programmes delivered by trained practitioners globally. Our approach integrates developmental psychology, trauma-informed practice, polyvagal theory, and evidence-based techniques with practical tools that work in real-world settings.

We believe that every bereaved child deserves adults who understand what they're experiencing and know how to help. These resources - and our professional training - exist to make that possible.

Learn more about The STILL Method →

Last updated: January 2026