Grief in Children

This fully updated second edition of Grief in Children provides an accessible overview of children's understanding of death at different ages and gives a detailed outline of exactly how the adults around them can best help them cope. Whether a child experiences the death of a parent, sibling, other relation or friend, or of a classmate or teacher, it is important for those caring for bereaved children to know how to respond appropriately to the child's needs. This book deals with a range of common physical and psychological responses and describes the methods of approaching grief in children that have been shown to work best. The author provides guidance on how loss and bereavement should be handled at school, explains when it is appropriate to involve expert professional help and discusses the value of bereavement groups for children and support for caregivers. Illustrated with case studies and incorporating current research, this book is essential reading for parents, carers, counsellors, teachers and all those concerned with the welfare of bereaved children. Dr Atle Dyregrov is a clinical psychologist and Director of the Center for Crisis Psychology in Bergen, Norway, which he founded with a colleague in 1988. He is a member of the executive board of The Children and War Foundation and a founding member of the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Dr Dyregrov is the author of numerous publications, journal articles, and books. Professor Emeritus William Yule is a clinical psychologist and Professor Emeritus of Applied Child Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London. He is Chair of the Children and War Foundation and Honorary Psychologist Advisor to the British Army. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies in 2005.