Treasure Weekend: supporting bereaved siblings

Abstract

The importance of allowing bereaved siblings the opportunity to be involved and mourn the loss of a sibling family member has gained increasing recognition. Child family members may need support in the same way that parents might need support to cope with a devastating loss. However, there are often few support services specifically focused to support bereaved children. Therefore, this article describes how a children's hospice provides specific support for bereaved siblings, by providing an opportunity for bereaved siblings to share a residential support weekend, known as the Treasure Weekend. The article describes the rationale, aims and the experience of the children's hospice, in facilitating this support service.

Keywords

bereavement child sibling relations support groups

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