SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS
Support for schools
When someone significant dies, school can be an important source of familiarity, connection and support for a grieving child or young person.
Teachers, School Psychologists, Wellbeing Staff and other school professionals do not need to be grief experts to make a difference. Understanding how grief may show up at school, knowing how to respond, and connecting families with appropriate support can help children feel understood and supported as they navigate life following the death of an Important Person in their life.
Lionheart provides information, resources, professional development and referral pathways to help Western Australian schools support grieving children, young people and their families.
Supporting a Grieving Student
Practical information to help you understand how grief may show up at school and how you can support a grieving child or young person.
Connecting Families with Lionheart
Help a family connect with Lionheart and explore the grief support, programs and services available to them.
Download School Resources
Access practical information and downloadable resources about children’s grief, designed for teachers and school professionals.
Professional Development for Schools
Build your team’s knowledge and confidence with professional development about childhood grief and supporting grieving students.
supporting a grieving student
Grief can affect children and young people in many different ways, and their responses can change over time. At school, you might notice changes in concentration, learning, friendships, behaviour, attendance or emotional regulation. Some children may talk openly about the person who died, while others may rarely mention their grief at all.
There is no single way that a grieving child will respond. Providing consistency, checking in without pressure, listening when a child wants to talk, and maintaining communication with their family can all help a child feel understood and supported at school.
What can help at school
- Maintain familiar routines where possible
- Check in without pressure
- Allow flexibility with concentration, workload and emotional regulation
- Keep communication open with the child’s family
- Remember that grief responses can change over time
When grief affects the wider school community
Sometimes a death affects more than one student or family. The death of a student, staff member, parent or another member of the school community can have an impact across classrooms, friendship groups, staff teams and the wider school.
Clear, age-appropriate communication, consistent messaging, opportunities for students to ask questions, and thoughtful consideration of those most closely affected can help your school community navigate the days and weeks that follow.
If a death has affected your wider school community and you are unsure how best to respond, Lionheart can provide information and guidance to help you consider your next steps.
connecting families with lionheart
If a student or family within your school community is navigating the advanced serious illness or death of a parent, sibling or other significant caregiver, you can let them know about Lionheart.
Lionheart supports children, teens and families across Western Australia before and following a death, through a range of programs, services and resources. Our supports help families better understand and navigate grief, build their grief knowledge and skills, and access support at different points in their journey.
Information to Share with Families
Not sure what to say when introducing a family to Lionheart? You are welcome to share the following information with families:
About Lionheart
Lionheart supports children, teens and families navigating advanced serious illness and bereavement following the death of a parent, sibling or significant caregiver. Families can access a range of programs, services and resources designed to help children and their adults understand and navigate grief, build practical grief knowledge and skills, and access support at different points in their journey.
download school resources
Our free resources provide practical information to help teachers and school professionals better understand children’s grief and respond to grieving students. Download and share them with your team.
Supporting a Bereaved Student
Practical strategies for teachers and school staff supporting a student following the death of someone significant.
Trauma, Grief and the Brain
Understand how grief and trauma can affect the developing brain, and what this may mean for a child’s emotions, behaviour, learning and capacity to cope.
Common Grief Responses in Children
An overview of the different ways grief may show up in children and young people, including emotional, behavioural, physical and social responses.
How to Talk to Children About Death
Helpful guidance for having honest, age-appropriate conversations with children about death and answering the questions they may have.
professional development for schools
Build your team's confidence in supporting grieving children
Teachers and school professionals are often among the first people outside a family to notice when grief is affecting a child or young person. Knowing what to say, what to look for and how to respond can make an important difference.
Lionheart provides professional development for schools designed to build staff knowledge and confidence in understanding and responding to childhood and adolescent grief. Our sessions combine contemporary grief knowledge with practical strategies that can be applied within the school environment.
We can work with different groups across your school community, offering all staff professional development, Q&A and information sessions for parents and caregivers, age-appropriate sessions for students, and tailored sessions for school leadership and wellbeing teams.
Sessions can explore topics including:
- Understanding childhood and adolescent grief
- How children’s understanding of death changes as they develop
- How grief may present through behaviour, learning, relationships and emotional responses
- Talking with children and young people about death and grief
- Practical strategies for supporting grieving students
- Recognising when a child may need additional support
- Referral pathways and available bereavement supports
- Supporting your school community when a death occurs
Sessions can be tailored to the needs of your school and the audience you are supporting. Get in touch with our team to discuss what would work best for your school community.
FREE RESOURCE FOR PROFESSIONALS
Supporting Grieving Children: A Guide for Professionals
Supporting a grieving child can feel daunting, particularly when you are unsure what to say or how best to help. Our free guide brings together practical information and strategies to help professionals better understand children’s grief and respond with greater knowledge and confidence.