Our Programs
Workshops
Caring for Young Grievers: A Workshop for Parents, Caregivers and People Working with Children. This free online workshop helps parents, caregivers, educators, counsellors, and other professionals support grieving young people. Your role as a caring, consistent, and trusted adult can be one of the most effective supports in a young person’s deeply personal journey with grief. Offered in English and French.
Want this Workshop for Your Workplace?
Request a custom Caring for Young Grievers workshop for any organization serving youth, including education, health, community-focused organizations and more. Email Grief Support Services at Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice to learn more.
Grief Circles Programs
Evidence-based Grief Circles at Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice are closed groups facilitated by registered professionals, recreation therapists, and trainees. Group therapy offers participants a therapeutic environment, helping individuals develop coping strategies while connecting with others experiencing similar life-changing experiences and honouring the important life they are grieving.
Our Grief Circle programs are offered regularly throughout the year. Once a Grief Circle has begun, we cannot add new participants. Instead, spots are made available in the subsequent available sessions. Family members referred to a Grief Circle are registered for the next available group.
Children & Youth Grief Circle:
Helping children and youth heal from the death of someone important.
Our Children & Youth Grief Circle provides compassionate care for young people (7 years and older) who have experienced the death of someone significant in their lives. This activity-based program runs simultaneously as our Parent & Caregiver Grief Circle. The program and group experience promote healthy grief reactions, helping children and youth cope better after the death of someone important to them.
Perinatal Grief Circle:
Supporting parents through the profound grief of perinatal loss.
Our Perinatal Grief Circle offers a compassionate space for parents whose baby died after 20 weeks during pregnancy up to the first 28 days of life. This program provides a safe environment where connection and coping skills are supported. This group includes parents who experienced a baby’s death due to a life-limiting condition, stillbirth, death while in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a pregnancy loss, medical termination and/or induced labour where a palliative diagnosis existed for the child.
Grandparent Grief Circle:
A space for grandparents to share and heal together.
Our Grandparent Grief Circle is a supportive group designed specifically for grandparents who are grieving the loss of a grandchild under the age of 19. This multi-week program provides a safe environment where grandparents can share their unique grief experiences and learn coping strategies.
Parent & Caregiver Grief Circle:
Coming together through shared experiences of loss.
Our Parent & Caregiver Grief Circles are supportive spaces where those grieving the death of a child and/or supporting a grieving young person can come together and find solace in a caring community. These multi-week programs allow participants to help one another in a safe, understanding environment while learning to cope with grief.
Grief Connections Programs
Our Connections program brings together parents and caregivers navigating care for their child followed by the CHEO Palliative Care team with the support of professionals. See our events page for upcoming dates, themes, guest speakers, and to register. See below for more eligibility details.
Families with children currently being cared for by the CHEO palliative care team can access.
Children & Youth Grief Connections: Drop-In Support
Helping children and youth connect and heal after the death of someone important to them.
Our Children & Youth Grief Connections groups offer a safe and supportive space for young people (7 years and older) who have experienced the death of someone important to them. Through shared experiences and understanding, children and youth can find comfort and healing in the company of others who have experienced the death of someone important to them. Activity-based sessions allow for fun, creativity, and imagination while honouring grief, making memories, and celebrating the legacy of the person they grieve with the support of recreation therapists and special guests. Children and youth new to the Connections Drop-In must complete the intake into Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice Grief Services before pre-registering on our events page.
Parent and Caregiver Grief Connections: Drop-In
Building community and understanding through shared experiences.
Parent Grief Connections is a drop-in group for parents navigating grief after experiencing the death of a child and completing RNCH group services, such as our Parent and Caregiver Grief Circle program. Minimizing isolation, connecting with others with similar experiences, and continuing with coping strategies are the focus.
