Children's Grief Awareness Day

Children's Grief Awareness Day seeks to raise awareness of the painful impact that the death of a loved one has in the life of a child, and provides an opportunity to make sure that these children receive the support they need. In just one year, over 203,000 of Canada’s 7.5 million children under 18 will experience the death of someone in their extended family. 1 in 14 children will experience the death of a parent or sibling who lives in their home.

The 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.