Children's Programs

Helping Kids and Teens Grieve

When a child experiences the death of someone important, the loss can have a tremendous impact on the child’s life – at home, with friends and at school, both now and in the future. Children grieve differently than adults and often need help understanding and expressing their feelings during such a confusing time. At Care Dimensions, we specialize in helping children mourn and cope with death – preparing them prior to the loss and supporting them after.

Our children’s program provides emotional support to patients and families, and also supports children in the community. We offer one-to-one and family consultations, and host dedicated support groups for children and teens in a safe and calming atmosphere. A trusted resource to the community, we also offer training and guidance during crisis situations and in response to local and national issues.

Most services are provided free of charge, regardless of whether the person you're grieving received care from Care Dimensions.

Services for Children

We support children, families and childcare and education professionals by providing:

• Grief assessments
• Phone consultations
• In-person consultations
• Workshops and support groups 
• Camp Stepping Stones
• Community programs
• Bereavement resources 
• Collaboration with schools, hospitals, parent groups
• Remembrance services and activities

Download our "Children, Teens and Grief: A Guide for Families" booklet.

Support Groups

Led by experienced child life and bereavement professionals, our support groups bring children together to share feelings, console one another, or simply to observe and listen. Visit our Calendar for current offerings. Our Children’s Program runs bi-monthly groups throughout the school year. Families can register in the early-Fall and mid-Winter. Led by experienced child life, expressive arts, and bereavement professionals, these groups provide children ages 4 – 18 with support, a sense of community, and an opportunity to express themselves. Children are divided into three age groups (typically ages 4 – 8, 9-12, and 13-18), and a concurrent “Raising Grieving Children” program is offered to parents/guardians. Please call 855-774-5100 for more information.

Child Life Specialist

Our certified child life specialists provides support to not only the children of our adult hospice patients, but also to our pediatric patients receiving hospice care. Using age-appropriate activities including books, games, and arts and crafts, the child life specialists help children process their feelings and fears in a safe environment and gives them strategies for coping with their grief and emotions.

Supporting Care Dimensions’ Bereavement Programs

Community support makes it possible for us to provide most of our services without charge, enabling anyone in the community to access the support they need, whether or not the person they are grieving was a Care Dimensions patient. Consider supporting us as a volunteer or with your tax deductible donation. With your help, we can continue our mission of healing.

You are invited to honor your loved one through one of Care Dimensions’ commemorative fundraising efforts such as our Memorial Donations, Tribute program or Tree of Lights. To learn more, visit Ways to Give.