Description
Book SynopsisThe scope of this book covers the many possible approaches to working with bereaved children. The contributors draw on their wide-ranging experience of working with bereaved children in a many different contexts to examine:
methods, such as dramatherapy and play therapy
various settings, such as working in schools, hospitals and residential environments
group and individual work
working with adolescents.
The breadth of the contributors' backgrounds- among them are psychologists, social workers, teachers, play therapists and an actress -brings to light the benefits of their differing approaches.
Trade ReviewThe book contains contributions from some of the most experienced practitioners in the UK and USA, working with children and young people in situations of loss and grief. The aim of this book is to provide its readers with a useful resource guide to practical interventions with bereaved children. It succeeds eminently in its task in considering various causes of bereavement and various methods of responding to needs: individual, family, group and educative approaches. This book is helpful to anyone working with children and families, having experienced bereavement, in a social work, counselling or therapeutic context, as well as from a palliative care, social services, psychiatric, family therapy or educational setting. This work makes a very valuable contribution to the literature and reinforces the belief that "children are survivors" (Monroe). -- Child and Family Social Work
If you have ever floundered when faced with a grieving child, this book is for you. Equipped with a wealth of practical and compassionate responses, 20 contributors describe their work with bereaved children, sharing effective ways of supporting and helping them in their loss. Case studies are sensitively given, and there are moving accounts of individual, family, group and whole school work. This is an empowering book, which should be accessible to all those who come into contact with children. -- Nursing Times
`This book should be available to all members of multidisciplinary child mental health teams... The strength of this book is that it ranges from individual grief, through family and societal settings linking grief and disaster, patterning the varying responses of children according to their age and life circumstances and providing a mosaic of assessment and therapeutic techniques... This book is one important step in improving our ability to communicate with the young about death.' -- Journal of Adolescence
The 26 contributors to this book share a wide experience of childhood and adolescent grief... Differences in culture are sensitively outlined in a chapter on transcultural counseling... a thoughtful contribution to the growing literature on children's bereavement. -- Community Care
The strength of the book is its emphasis on what can actually be done and how to do it. There are examples upon examples of how to convene, start, run and end sessions with children, how to work in different settings, with children of different needs. It is a rich store of what can be done. -- Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Table of ContentsPart 1. Individual Work 1. Communicating with Children Through Play, Peta Hemmings, Senior Practitioner, Barnardo's Orchard Project, Newcastle-upon-Tyne2. Direct Work Techniques with the Siblings of Children Dying from Cancer, Maureen Hitcham, Malcolm Sargent Social Worker, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. 3. Chairing the Child: A Seat of Bereavement, David Waskett, Social Worker and Independent Counsellor in Bereavement and Loss, Cambridge 4. Non-Directive Play Therapy with Bereaved Children, Jo Carroll, Independent Play Therapist, Marlborough, Wilts. Part 2. Family Work 5. `It is Impossible Not to Communicate': Helping the Grieving Family, Barbara Munroe, Director of Social Work, St Christopher's Hospice, London. 6. A Cradling of a Different Sort, Ann Couldrick, Counsellor, Sir Michael Sobell House, Oxford.7. Grieving Together: Helping Family Members Share Their Grief, Dr Jess Gordon, Consultant Child and Family Psychiatrist, Northampton Part 3. Groupwork 8. Creative Groupwork Methods with Bereaved Children, Margaret Pennells and Susan C Smith. 9. Sharing Experiences: The Value of Groups for Bereaved Children, Jenny Baulkwill, Principal Social Worker, St Christopher's Hospice London, and Christine Wood, Principal Social Worker, St Christopher's Hospice London. 10. Camp Winston: A Residential Intervention for Bereaved Children, Julie Stokes, Programme Director, Clinical Psychologist, and Diana Crossley, Coordinator of Children's Service, Clinical Psychologist, Gloucester Royal Hospital. 11. Groupwork with Bereaved Children, Ann Harris, Malcolm Sargent Social Worker, Bristol Children's Hospital and Sally Curnick, Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood Trust. 12. Using Drama in Grief Work, Penny Casadagli, Artistic Director and Actress, Neti-Neti Theatre Company, London. Part 4. Specific Client Groups 13. Helping Families and Professionals to Work with Children who have Learning Difficulties, Judy Sanderson, Community Liaison Worker, Acorns Children's Hospice, Birmingham. 14. Transcultural Counselling: Bereavement Counselling with Adolescents, Jan Wilby, Head of Social Science, Head of Guidance and Support School, Nottingham. 15. Managing a Tragedy in a Secondary School, John Shears, Head Teacher, Redruth Community School, Cornwall. 16. Voices from the Crowd: Stories from the Hillsborough Football Stadium Disaster, Paul Barnard, Project Leader, and Maureen Cane, Freelance Consultant, Liverpool Children's Project. 17. Making Memory Stores with Children and Families Affected by HIV, Ruth Neville, Senior Practitioner, Barnardo's Castle Project, Leeds. Part 5. Projects in the USA18. Embracing Fears and Sharing Tears: Working with Bereaved Children, Jennifer Levine, Willowgreen Counselling Service, Fort Wayne, Indiana. 19. Group Interventions with Bereaved Children, 5-17 Years: From a Medical Centre-Based Young Person's Grief Support Programme, Ben Wolfe, Director, St Mary's Grief Support Centre, Minnesota. 20. Coaching Children's Grief Through Art, Clifford Davies, Coordinator, Pastoral and Grief Services, Hospice of Independence Regional Health Center, Missouri. About the Authors. Subject Index. Author Index.
