Children’s grief and bereavement certificate program

Young child with head in knees sitting against a wall grief and bereavement

“I would recommend (this program) to all colleagues and friends!”

– Emily Carreiro, BSW, MSW, RSW Social Worker – Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit

Grief is a confusing and isolating experience for any person, old or young. Children’s grief, however, differs considerably from adult grief, resulting in the needs of grieving children often being overlooked or misunderstood. This can have a profound impact on the social and emotional development of a child. Caregivers, including the most skilled professionals, often feel helpless when supporting children through the death of someone close to them.

The Children’s grief and bereavement certificate program explores the roots of our cultural discomfort with the topic of children and death and exposes common myths and misconceptions. This certificate program equips you with skills to provide support to children, youth and families grieving the dying or death of someone they care about. Adults cannot change the reality of a death occurring in a child’s life, but with the right tools they can play a powerful role in shaping the story of the child’s grief experience and therefore help the child thrive in life.

Each of the five modules that make up this program series explores a crucial aspect of a child or family’s grief and bereavement: covering topics such as the fundamentals of childhood grief, effective communication strategies, ways to build resilience in bereaved children and supporting harder-to-serve populations.

This program is offered as an open module series, allowing the flexibility to register for any of the five individual modules or the entire series, depending on your learning objectives. Whether you choose to join one module or all five, this series aims to provide valuable insights and practical tools for those looking to support grieving families

Individual modules include:

Module 1: Children at the bedside – Preparing children for the death of someone close to them

When: February 5, 2025 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Facilitator(s): Andrea Warnick, RN, MA, RP.

Learning objectives:

Explore the roots of our societal discomfort with the topic of children and death
Identify myths and misconceptions which create barriers to children being included at the bedside of someone who is dying
Gain practical strategies and creative approaches for preparing children for a death, including a death through medical assistance in dying (MAID)
Access to literary, web, and local resources for supporting children who are experiencing the dying of someone close to them

Module 2: When death darkens the door – Supporting bereaved children and youth

When: February 12, 2025 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET
Facilitator(s): Andrea Warnick, RN, MA, RP.

Learning objectives:

Gain innovative and practical tips for helping children and youth understand the concept of death, and for supporting their grief process
Examine strategies for preparing children and youth for funerals, memorials and other ceremonies
Learn what not to say to a bereaved child or youth
Access to literary, web, and local supports available to children and youth who have experienced a death

Module 3: Using mindfulness and compassion to support grieving children and families

When: February 19, 2025 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET
Facilitator(s): Lysa Toye, MSW, RSW, ExAT.

Learning objectives:

Understand empathy and compassion through the lens of neuroscience, including how mindfulness enables us to remain grounded and open in the face of suffering and distress
Explore strategies for developing open presence and deep listening in clinical work
Explore compassion as a trainable skill and the value of self-compassion as a foundation for our work with others
Consider nervous system and body-based regulatory strategies for working with suffering from the perspective of polyvagal theory
Learn mindfulness practices that can be incorporated into clinical work with children, youth and families who are grieving a death
Explore perspectives of cultural humility and cultural competence in providing equitable, inclusive and diversity-affirming care

Module 4: When grief gets more complicated – Supporting harder-to-serve populations

When: February 26, 2025 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET
Facilitator(s): Andrea Warnick, RN, MA, RP, and Liana Lowenstein, MSW, RSW, CPT-S.

Learning objectives:

Learn support strategies and resources for supporting children who are grieving a death by suicide, homicide or substance use
Understand ways of identifying signs of trauma in children who are grieving
Access to literary, web, and local community supports available to support these populations of grieving children and youth

Module 5: Dancing in the darkness – Creative approaches to working with grieving children and youth

When: March 5, 2025 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET
Facilitator(s): Andrea Warnick, RN, MA, RP, and Lysa Toye, MSW, RSW, ExAT.

Learning objectives:

Creative approaches to supporting children and youth who are grieving the dying or death of someone in their life
Art and play-based strategies to add to the toolbox of participants who already have a theoretical foundation in children’s grief and bereavement
Strategies for supporting grieving children and youth in school

Please note: This is a five-module certificate program. You must complete all five modules within a year to obtain the certificate. Each of the modules may be taken on their own as a stand-alone training.

“The Children’s Grief and Bereavement Certificate gave me insight into the foundational needs children have for information, connection and care as well as practical tools and activities I could use right away in my practice as a death doula. I was so inspired by the facilitators that I’ve decided to pursue a master’s degree in counselling with a focus on creative interventions for grieving children. Thank you Andrea and team for igniting this flame!”

– Chelsea Peddle, End-of-Life Consultant and Death Doula

Children’s grief and bereavement certificate program

Live webinar series