First support group for bereaved children helps

Yesterday afternoon was the first social support group for bereaved children aged 3-10 years. 8 children and 5 parents gathered at My Happy Play Cafe to talk about grief and how they cope parenting a bereaved child. It was a comfortable, calm afternoon with a free flow structure with lots of opportunity to work together and talk about their passed person / people or even with the group leader, Anne-Marie, surrounding their feelings. One child aged 9 said "I feel angry and sad because they're not here"

The grief management activities included Christmas tree decoration, with the theme of "who's around my tree?" Discussing support networks so children know who is there to support them.

Another activity was "who's on the star, but never far" this included writing their passed person or people who have died on a star for their tree. This sparked conversation about their person. One child aged 6 said "one of my happy memories with auntie was doing a Barbie doll fashion show"

All children were mixed ages and abilities. They also had different type of bereavements & timeframes. The response to the venue was incredible and Natasha from My Happy Play Cafe has set a date for another group in January.

The Seddon Legacy Project aims to create a safe space for bereaved children. Inspire healthy conversations surrounding death to help children with their emotions and feel less excluded. The next group will be on Tuesday 14th January at My Happy Play Cafe. There is a link on social media to sign up if you'd like to attend.