Leaders in Springfield highlight importance of Children’s Grief Awareness Month

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) -November is Children’s Grief Awareness Month. It’s a time to shine a light on the pain many kids experience.

According to the JAG Institute, a non-profit that studies grief, 1 in 10 Missouri children will lose a parent or sibling before the age of 18.

Leaders at Lost and Found Grief Center in Springfield say kids frequently don’t sit in their pain the same way adults do. But that doesn’t mean they’re not experiencing feelings of intense loss, and it’s vital that they don’t go through that alone.

“Bringing awareness and having this conversation around that is educating people in their lives of what that kind of looks like. How it maybe can... grief can manifest itself in their body. Maybe what kind of support that they need,” said Melanie Blair, Assistant Executive Director for Lost and Found Grief Center. “Helps teachers and educators understand what they’re going through so they can support them in that setting.”

November 19th is Children’s Grief Awareness Day. Workers at Lost and Found encourage everyone to wear blue that day to support children and families healing after a loss.

The organization will also be offering tours and sharing more about the programs it offers to help people of any age suffering from grief. To learn more about Lost and Found Grief Center, click here.

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