Building Capacity to Support the Grief Experiences of Children and Young People in OOHC
Tracks
Tamborine Gallery - In-Person Only
| Wednesday, March 26, 2025 |
| 11:20 AM - 11:40 AM |
Overview
Louise Hall, Mackillop Family Services - Mackillop Seasons
Presenter
Ms Louise Hall
Lead - National And International Partnerships
Mackillop Family Services - Mackillop Seasons
Building Capacity to Support the Grief Experiences of Children and Young People in OOHC
Abstract
Grief is often described as a normal and natural reaction to significant experiences of change and loss. Grief is not often named beyond bereavement and yet, for children and young people living in care, grief accompanies their experiences of ongoing and perpetual change and loss.
Although the experience of grief affects our whole, with physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioural and spiritual manifestations, we often don’t help children and young people make these connections, and they can spend their lives wondering why or how they came to be the way they are. In our collective practice, we are increasingly aware of attending to children and young peoples’ experiences of trauma, and in turn find an opportunity to increasingly identify and attend to their grief experiences. So often experiences of trauma and grief are inextricably linked, so too, are the experiences for their caregivers. The grief experience is often ongoing and cumulative. We acknowledge the value and need to support adults in these children's lives.
This presentation will name and share grief theory to reframe and understand the experiences of children and young people in care. By reframing experiences with knowledge regarding disenfranchised grief, ambivalent relationships and ambiguous loss, we build capacity and are better able to understand children/young people’s experiences and support them to respond. We will explore using the metaphor of the seasons and the learning objectives in the Seasons for Growth program and how these can assist professionals, adult carers and children.
Seasons for Growth evidence-based education programs have supported over 400,000 children/young people and adults for over 28 years, to understand and attend well to their experiences of change, loss and grief, and have been adapted to build the learning and support available for those having had experiences of living in care, forced migration, suicide loss, COVID and disasters.
Three Key Learnings:
1. Understanding change, loss and grief for children and young people in the context of living in out of home care.
2. Building the knowledge of professionals working with children and young people in Out of Home Care.
3. Practical ways to support children and young people through their grief.
Although the experience of grief affects our whole, with physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioural and spiritual manifestations, we often don’t help children and young people make these connections, and they can spend their lives wondering why or how they came to be the way they are. In our collective practice, we are increasingly aware of attending to children and young peoples’ experiences of trauma, and in turn find an opportunity to increasingly identify and attend to their grief experiences. So often experiences of trauma and grief are inextricably linked, so too, are the experiences for their caregivers. The grief experience is often ongoing and cumulative. We acknowledge the value and need to support adults in these children's lives.
This presentation will name and share grief theory to reframe and understand the experiences of children and young people in care. By reframing experiences with knowledge regarding disenfranchised grief, ambivalent relationships and ambiguous loss, we build capacity and are better able to understand children/young people’s experiences and support them to respond. We will explore using the metaphor of the seasons and the learning objectives in the Seasons for Growth program and how these can assist professionals, adult carers and children.
Seasons for Growth evidence-based education programs have supported over 400,000 children/young people and adults for over 28 years, to understand and attend well to their experiences of change, loss and grief, and have been adapted to build the learning and support available for those having had experiences of living in care, forced migration, suicide loss, COVID and disasters.
Three Key Learnings:
1. Understanding change, loss and grief for children and young people in the context of living in out of home care.
2. Building the knowledge of professionals working with children and young people in Out of Home Care.
3. Practical ways to support children and young people through their grief.
Biography
Louise’s passion for the value of group work led her to her current role. With a social work and early years background, Louise has worked across statutory and not for profit services with a focus on family support and wellbeing. At work, Louise enjoys building relationships with stakeholders and widening the reach of community support; and at home, she enjoys the changes and joy that comes with parenting teenagers.
