News and Events » Events » Blue Skies (bereavement program)
Blue Skies (bereavement program)
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Blue Skies – helping children cope with loss Silver Chain, in partnership with Joondalup Health Campus, is pleased to offer a workshop aimed at promoting healthy grieving for children who are bereaved. Blue Skies is an innovative program developed by palliative care social workers, for children aged between eight and twelve years old, who are grieving the loss of a parent or primary caregiver. |
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Blue Skies provides a safe, fun filled and supportive environment connecting children who are grieving, and teaches them how to feel safe to speak about their feelings. The program aims to assist children in recognising, naming and developing awareness of the variety of emotions associated with death, and expressing these emotions. Bringing children together who are experiencing a similar life change also reduces the isolation associated with a bereavement and enables them to give and receive support in a shared creative environment. |
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What’s involved Blue Skies educates about loss, grief and change through psycho-educational sessions, puppets, play, art (paint, sand), music, and ritual. Children will explore their feelings and learn to identify their strengths that can help them through their grieving process, and develop coping strategies and trust. The next workshop will be held: Date Thursday, 7 October and Friday, 8 October 2010 (during school |
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Silver Chain Social Worker, Belinda Hughes is involved in delivering the Blue Skies program. She says counsellors understand that children vary in their emotional and behavioural reactions to the death of a significant family member. “One of the most common feelings children express is loneliness,” says Belinda. “This is reduced by bringing children together in a group setting, where they are encouraged to share and express their emotions. The workshops are run in a safe, gentle and supportive environment and we use puppets, paint, sand and music throughout the program to enable children to express what they’ve been experiencing since their loss.” “The children also learn about grief and change and they meet and talk with others who have had someone in their family die. They also learn that it is OK to talk about their feelings and that with courage, patience and creativity they can have happy times again.” Parent testimonials More information
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