Interventions With Bereaved Children

Since 1988, Susan C Smith and Sister Margaret Pennellshave developed a bereavement group programme and have run bereavement groups for children and adolescents.

The 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).

• Part 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.