Children's GriefThe death of a parent or sibling has been found to be one of the most stressful life events that a child or youth can experience. Therefore it is important to provide children with information about grief, normalize their responses and encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings.
It is common for children who have lost someone important to them to feel that their struggles are invisible to those around them. Advocates are needed for these children, and supporting them to know that losing someone close is the beginning of a long journey to find ways to live with that hole in their heart that person's death has left. |  |
In British Columbia and the Yukon, many hospice societies provide supports for children grieving.
Children who are grieving or bereaved can find support and assistance from hospice societies, ranging from volunteer-led programs to clinical services. Most people are not aware that most children take much longer to deal with their grief than we expect and that the amount of inner turmoil they experience is much more intense than we are aware of. We must ensure that grief services are accessible, low barrier, and compassionate to children.
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Mark your calendar!
Children's Grief Awareness DayThursday, November 20, 2025 |
More Resources
 Children’s Grief Awareness Day | November 20, 2025 Let’s continue to build a province and territory where every grieving child feels seen, supported, and understood. #ChildrensGriefAwarenessDay #ChildrensGrief #GriefLiteracy #MakeGriefAPriority #HospiceCare #BCHPCA | Grief Reflections In honour of Children’s Grief Awareness Month, Lighthouse for Grieving Children and the Canadian Alliance for Grieving Children & Youth (CAGCY) have launched Grief Reflections, a moving video series where Canadian athletes share their personal experiences with loss and how grief has shaped their lives. Each story reminds us that grief takes many forms and that healing is possible through connection, openness, and resilience. Watch and share these reflections: Former Assistant Captain of the Humboldt Broncos and survivor of the 2018 crash, Kaleb shares his journey through unimaginable loss and the meaning he found in continuing to live fully for those who could not. Will Petschenig - A Heart Like Mine Retired professional hockey player Will Petschenig reflects on losing his father as a teenager and how that loss inspired him to support grieving children and families through his foundation, A Heart Like Mine. To explore the full Grief Reflections series, visit the Canadian Alliance for Grieving Children & Youth (CAGCY) website here |
About the associationBCHPCA represents its members: individuals and organizations that deliver hospice/palliative care and bereavement services and programs across British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. | Contact usEmail: office@bchpca.org Unit 1100- 1200 West 73rd Ave, | Stay InTouchKeep up to date on upcoming events and recent job postings |
The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) recognizes the traditional land of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples who have walked before us and minded the lands we now call home for time immemorial. Hospice Societies have been able to support, aid and care for many people on these same lands. The BCHPCA Offices are located on the ancestral, traditional, and unceded lands of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and TsleilWaututh Nations.
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