E-Book Overview
In this second edition, Susan Smith raises awareness of the sensitive issues involved in relating to and assisting bereaved children. It contains additional information on secondary losses involved in bereavement and the effects of traumatic bereavement, not covered in the first edition. Smith begins by outlining how children grieve in the same way adults grieve - with the same range of emotions from feelings of shock and disbelief to numbness, despair, anger and guilt. Because children find it difficult to identify their emotions verbally, their reactions are often expressed through their behaviour. She lists common behaviours in bullet form, including health and school behaviours. These are followed by a description of feelings typical of children experiencing grief: guilt, anger, confusion, fear, anxiety, helplessness and relief. Based on developmental theories, Smith outlines typical reactions of children in age groups 0-2 years, 2-5 years, 5-9 years and 9-12 years as well as the reactions of adolescents. Smith recommends giving children the opportunity to talk about the event as soon as possible to reduce the potential of emotional blocking. Because experienceing a parental murder is exceptionally difficult, a special section is devoted to this. The chapters following are devoted to explaining what adults do to support and asssist grieving children. The book concludes with an outline of the types of serrvices that exist for helping children cope with grief, including family work, group and individual work.
E-Book Content
The Forgotten Mourners, Second Edition
of related interest
Interventions with Bereaved Children Edited by Susan C. Smith and Sister Margaret Pennells ISBN 1 85302 285 3 Grief in Children A Handbook for Adults Atle Dyregrov ISBN 1 85302 113 X Good Grief 1 Exploring Feelings, Loss and Death with Under Elevens 2nd Edition Barbara Ward and Associates ISBN 1 85302 324 8 A4 Good Grief 2 Exploring Feelings, Loss and Death with Over Elevens and Adults Barbara Ward and Associates ISBN 1 85302 340 X A4 Helping Children Manage Loss Positive Strategies for Renewal and Growth Brenda Mallon ISBN 1 85302 605 0 Talking with Children and Young People about Death and Dying A Workbook Mary Turner, illustrated by Bob Thomas ISBN 1 85302 563 1 A4 Storymaking and Bereavement Dragons Fight in the Meadow Alida Gersie ISBN 1 85302 176 8 pb ISBN 1 85302 065 6 hb Children, Bereavement and Trauma Nurturing Resilience Paul Barnard, Ian Morland and Julie Nagy ISBN 1 85302 785 5
All rights reserved. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission of the Copyright Act 1956 (as amended), or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 33–34 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to prosecution and civil claims for damages. The right of Susan C. Smith to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First edition by Margaret Pennells and Susan Smith published in 1995 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. This edition published in the United Kingdom in 1999 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers Ltd, 116 Pentonville Road, London N1 9JB, England and 325 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia PA 19106, USA. www.jkp.com
© Copyright 1999 Susan C. Smith Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 1 85302 758 8 pb Printed and Bound in Great Britain by Athenaeum Press, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear
The Forgotten Mourners,
Second Edition
Guidel