Child Grief Coach and Practitioner Training
Specialist child grief coach training that teaches you how to support grieving children with confidence and practical tools
Three days of specialist training for those who support grieving children and young people.
Children do not grieve the way adults do. Their grief shows up in behaviour, sudden fear, questions that circle in their mind, anger that bursts from nowhere or a quiet withdrawal that is easy to misread. What is labelled as defiance can be fear. What looks like avoidance can be confusion. What looks like a behaviour problem is often a child who no longer feels safe.
The STILL Method Child Grief Coach and Practitioner Training has been created for people who want to support children with depth, clarity and calm. It blends the STILL Method view of emotional safety with the science of childhood grief and the reality of working in schools, homes and frontline services.
This is a complete, structured pathway for those who want to work as a Child Grief Coach or bring grief support into their professional practice. You will finish this training confident, prepared and equipped with a deliverable six week programme designed for children and young people.
Why this programme matters
Grief in childhood carries its own patterns and its own vulnerabilities. Children often show grief through:
Sleep changes
School avoidance
Heightened worry
Explosive anger
Regression
Loss of skills
Social withdrawal
Physical symptoms including sickness fears
Without trained support, children may develop long term anxiety, sensory overload, shutdown responses or fear based behaviour. A Child Grief Coach helps prevent this by providing emotional safety, clarity and a structure that children can trust.
This training brings a level of depth that is still rare in the UK. It does not rely on scripts alone. It gives you the full understanding of what grief looks like in childhood and how to guide young people through it with confidence.
Who this training is for
People who want to train as a Child Grief Coach
Teachers, pastoral leaders, SEN staff and learning mentors
Residential care workers, foster carers and therapeutic care teams
Counsellors, therapists and wellbeing practitioners
Youth workers, early help teams and support organisations
Professionals in children’s homes, alternative provision and mental health settings
Anyone who supports children and wants deeper clarity and skill
Who this training is not for
Someone looking for a quick workshop
People wanting a counselling qualification
Those unable to work with emotional content
Anyone seeking a passive or theory only course
This programme is experiential, structured and practical. Participants must be able to take part in discussions, reflective tasks and guided activities.
What you will learn
This three day programme is built to the standard expected of a leading training school. It offers a complete education in child centred grief work.
Understanding grief in childhood
How children understand death and loss at different ages
Developmental grief patterns
Behavioural grief expressions
Normal and complicated grief presentations
How grief interacts with trauma, anxiety and sensory need
Behaviour as communication
Why children express grief through behaviour
How the STILL Method explains fear driven reactions
How to identify distress beneath surface behaviour
Supporting emotional safety in daily routines
The neurobiology of childhood grief
What happens in the brain and body during grief
Somatic responses including sickness fear, panic and shutdown
Autonomic changes that shape behaviour
What increases overwhelm and what helps a child settle
Family systems and the wider impact of loss
How grief affects parents and carers
Secondary losses and changes in home life
Understanding loyalty behaviour
How to create joined up support
How to talk with children about death
Language that supports emotional processing
How to answer difficult questions
What children need to hear and what causes harm
Approaches for children with different communication styles
Tools and methods for Child Grief Coaches
Creative approaches that do not rely on artistic skill
Structured conversations
Grounding tools based on emotional safety
Practical activities that help children express what they cannot say
Techniques that work across ages and abilities
The six week children’s grief programme
A complete, ready to deliver programme including:
Weekly themes
Clear activities
Session scripts
Reflective questions
Somatic safety tools
Guidance for emotional processing
Adaptations for different ages
Assessment points to track change
This programme becomes part of your professional toolkit after the course.
Course structure
Three full days on Zoom
Live teaching and guided demonstrations
Small group practice sessions
Reflective work with trainer feedback
Structured resources after the course
Certificate as a Child Grief Coach and Practitioner
Membership of the STILL practitioner community
What you will leave with
A recognised certificate as a Child Grief Coach and Practitioner
A complete six week programme for individuals and groups
A framework for working with grief in schools, care settings and families
Clear scripts for difficult conversations
Confidence to support children through loss and fear
Tools that can be used immediately in your work
Ongoing support within the STILL Method network
About your trainer
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Stuart Thompson is the creator of The STILL Method and a leading practitioner in the field of anxiety, fear and emotional safety. He has trained professionals across schools, residential care, mental health and community settings, and his programmes are used internationally. His work integrates developmental psychology, trauma informed practice and evidence based approaches with practical tools children can use in daily life.
Over recent years, more than two thousand children and young people have been supported through STILL programmes delivered by trained practitioners. This Child Grief Coach pathway extends that work to meet the growing need for child centred grief support.
Accreditation and professional recognition
This training is accredited by ACCPH and IPHM.
All STILL Method programmes meet recognised standards for professional coaching and wellbeing training.
Participants receive an accredited certificate on completion of all three training days.
Our adult grief coach programme
The STILL Method also offers a full adult grief coach programme for those who support adults through loss. Many practitioners choose to complete both programmes so they can work confidently across the whole family system. The adult programme includes its own six week support model and a deep exploration of adult grief, somatic responses and the emotional tasks involved.
Details of the adult programme are available here
Why this programme stands apart
This programme is different because it:
Provides a complete deliverable programme for children
Is grounded in the STILL Method model of emotional safety
Includes practical tools informed by developmental science
Fits directly into school and residential care settings
Is taught with clarity, depth and psychological intelligence
Includes ongoing community support
Is suitable for professionals without counselling qualifications
Meets the real needs seen in homes, classrooms and community practice
You are not buying a script or a loose toolkit.
You are learning a structured, evidence informed approach you can use with confidence.
Competencies you will gain
Ability to assess grief presentations in childhood
Skill in identifying fear based behaviour
Confidence in difficult conversations about death and loss
Understanding of how grief affects attention, behaviour and learning
Techniques to help children regulate their emotions
Practical tools for individual and group settings
Knowledge of ethical and safe grief support
Ability to deliver a structured six week programme
Reassurance and safety
Child grief work requires emotional responsibility. This programme includes guidance on:
Boundaries
Safeguarding awareness
Working within your role
When to refer on
How to protect your own emotional wellbeing
We take professional safety seriously. You will never be left feeling unsure or unsupported.
Fee
The full fee for the three day training is £895. Early bird £595
Places are limited to ensure a high quality learning environment.
Frequently asked questions
Is this suitable for people without counselling qualifications
Yes. It is designed for professionals working in schools, care, youth and wellbeing roles. You do not need a therapy background.
Will I be able to call myself a Child Grief Coach
Yes. On completion of the three training days you will receive an accredited certificate as a Child Grief Coach and Practitioner.
Can I use the six week programme in my workplace
Yes. It is written for use in schools, residential care, early help teams and community settings.
Can this be delivered to groups and individuals
Yes. The programme includes adaptations for both.
Is there ongoing support after the training
Yes. You will have the opportunity to join the STILL Method practitioner community with ongoing access to support.
Is this emotional content difficult
It can be, but you will be guided carefully and professionally. Emotional safety is central to the training.