AASW Webinar Recording | Invisible Tears: An Exploration of Non-Death Related Losses for Children and Young People in OOHC

The assumption is often made that grief is only associated with losses that occur after the death of a loved one. This view of grief is quite narrow. Of course, grief will normally follow the death of someone who we cared about deeply. But does a person have to die for grief to occur? - Darcy L. Harris PhD, Principles and Practice of Grief Counseling, 3rd Edition

Grief is not always associated with death; this is an opportunity to gain insight into non-death related grief children face in ‘out of home care’ and as a social worker what can we do to develop collaborative relationships with children during developmental stages of their life.

For children and young people in out-of-home care, there are various factors that can precipitate feelings of grief and loss. These include being forcibly removed from their families of origin and separated from siblings who are also in care; being shifted from one foster home to the next suddenly and without warning; being excluded from decisions that affect them and their wellbeing.

It is important that social workers know how to effectively respond to the range of emotions that may be expressed by children and young people, when they experience non-death related losses.

The webinar will focus on the impact going into care has on the emotional, physical, spiritual, and developmental life cycle of children and young people. Topics covered will include grief and loss; disenfranchised grief; ambiguous loss; chronic sorrow; non-finite loss and all the accumulated losses that children and young people encounter when they enter the system as a “foster child.”

This webinar will also demonstrate how social workers can develop more effective and collaborative relationships with children and young people in OOHC that honour their developmental level and context.

Who should register? Social Workers, community workers, and allied health professionals who work with children and young people in child protection and OOHC contexts.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Increase their confidence and skills in working with children and young people impacted by grief and loss in OOHC.
• Understand the key elements of non-death related grief and how best to support children and young people.
• Develop skills in respectful engagement about grief and loss when supporting children and young people in OOHC.

AASW Credentials: Child Protection; Family Violence; Mental Health