Gems Bereavement Support for Children Children's Services
Why do we offer GEMS?
At ellenor, we understand the importance of providing sufficient grief support to our patient’s loved ones when they have passed on. We also understand that children and young people grieve differently to adults and that they will need support during a difficult time when a loved one has passed on. This is why we offer specialist bereavement support for children ages 6-16 with Grief Every Memory is Special - GEMS.
What does GEMS do and who can access the group?
GEMS is a bereavement support group for children who have experienced a loss of a loved one under the care of ellenor. This could be a sibling, a parent, or a grandparent. Currently, we’ve expanded our GEMS support to children and young people who have lost a loved one as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Having an outlet in terms of somewhere to speak about what they are going through as well as creative outlets that can help them express these feelings more adequately is vital for children who are experiencing bereavement.
How does GEMS benefit children and young people who are grieving?
Support meetings through GEMS are usually a combination of therapeutic activities facilitated by therapists and counsellors and fun and games. During the GEMS days, children have the opportunity to:
- Meet other children who are experiencing something similar to them.
- Express their feelings in an open and safe environment.
- Share and learn about coping mechanisms.
- Make new friends.
- Create memories of their loved ones and share previous memories.
If you’d like to find out more about GEMS days and bereavement support for children or sign your child up for the next group meeting, please contact Jolanta Martis, Play Therapist, on 01474 320007 or email at jolanta.martis@ellenor.org
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