We grieve as we love. The wider our love, the deeper the grief.
Our love is redirected when a precious person dies, into the messy sludge of mourning. Navigating the sludge is almost unbearable for some, let alone the littlest members of our society. With death as common as darkness, 1 in 20 Australian children will have a parent die before the age of 18.
The National Centre for Childhood Grief (NCCG) is a not-for-profit organisation servicing bereaved Australian children tragically experiencing the death of a parent, sibling, or close loved one.
The NCCG employs qualified bereavement counsellors to provide services such as individual bereavement counselling tailored for children ages 3-17, group counselling sessions for parents and children, and special activity programs for the family. Counselling takes place in playrooms, among toys, and outside, beside the fairy garden as teenagers play basketball.
The NCCG follows a simple philosophy: create a safe environment for children to fully experience all the facets of their grief, build relationships of understanding and compassion, and support children in developing hope for the future. The NCCG believe that childhood grief is misunderstood and commonly undetected, which can lead to damaging developmental impacts.
‘The emotions are so big – the fear, the anger, the sadness – for a little body,’ says Chris Waugh, former client and current Head of Development at the National Centre for Childhood Grief. ‘Grief isn’t a mental health condition, bereavement isn’t a mental health condition. They are natural responses to tragedy. Our service isn’t about denying sadness, or trying to make it go away, it’s about helping people manage it. If kids learn to not express their emotions… that’s when it leads to anxiety, depression, PTSD, later on.’
The NCCG was founded in 1994 by Dianne McKissock OAM and Mal McKissock OAM, internationally renowned experts in bereavement care. From the NCCG’s first centre in Randwick, to now having its home in Hornsby, the organisation services children and their families throughout every state in Australia. Over the last four years, the NCCG has seen a 166% increase in demand for their services.
All children’s counselling is free, as a matter of policy, and partly subsidised for adults. The NCCG is funded by community donations and philanthropic donors, with minimal government funding.
‘We describe grief as a rollercoaster ride – ups and downs, scary parts, happy parts, and parts where you’re not troubled by your grief at all,’ says Chris Waugh. ‘Grief is a long-term journey.’
For more information, visit childhoodgrief.org.au
