Caring Hearts Children's Program

Caring Hearts Children’s Program: Supporting children, teenagers, and families facing the dying or death of a loved one

Do you know a child or youth who is grieving? We can help!

Navigating grief when a significant person is dying or has died can be a difficult task for families. Grief is a natural reaction to loss, but youth often experience it differently than the adults in their lives.

The Caring Hearts Children’s Program provides family-centered support by addressing the unique needs of children, youth and families anticipating a death and grieving after a loss.

Peer support groups are offered throughout the year to any child or youth in Sarnia Lambton who has experienced the death of a significant person, regardless of the cause or location of death. Groups are separated by age and provide developmentally appropriate child/youth-centred activities. Various activities such as games, art and music are used in groups to focus on topics such as changes, feelings, self-care, and memories. Groups provide education on grief and coping strategies and allow for a space of supportive sharing. They are facilitated by a trained professional and supported by skilled volunteers.

• Caring Hearts, Grief Drops (Ages 6-9):
  • 6 sessions
  • Once a month
  • Group sizes of approximately 8 youth
  • Intake required*
• Grief Explorers, Grief Drops (Ages 10-13):
  • 6 sessions
  • Once a month
  • Group sizes of approximately 8 youth
  • Intake required*
• Grief Wayfinders (Ages 14-18):
  • ​​​​​​​6 sessions
  • Once a month
  • Group sizes of approximately 8 teens
  • Intake required* (Teens have the option to complete their own intake)
• Children's Grief Summer Camp (Ages 6-13): An annual outdoor 5-day summer camp experience for children ages 6-13 grieving the death of a significant person. Camp is held at Canatara Park in Sarnia and is sponsored by the Seaway Kiwanis Club of Sarnia. This is an opportunity for children to take their grief outdoors and be supported by trained professionals as well as volunteers, while experiencing peer support in a day camp environment.
  • ​​​​​​​Weeklong Day Camp
  • Canatara Park
  • Intake required*
• Special Events: Held throughout the year with children and their families to help memorialize and encourage a continuing bond with their significant person. These events can help prepare children and their families for upcoming holidays.
  • ​​​​​​​Registration required
  • May include:
    • ​​​​​​​Special Person's Memorial Event (for Mother's & Father's Day)
    • Coping Through the Holidays (Winter Holiday Event)
• Guardian Resources. For those supporting grieving youth:
  • ​​​​​​​Education and resources provided to guardians to help them support their grieving child or youth
  • May include:
    • ​​​​​​​Grief Education Series Session #5: Supporting Grieving Children
    • Digital resources
• Grief Kits: Take-home kits with resources and activities for guardians and youth to explore their grief together at home.

*Intakes are typically conducted over the phone and take approximately 30 minutes. Accommodation can be made for in-person intakes as needed. During this supportive conversation, we will talk about your child's loss and how they are coping in their grief. After the intake, they will either be added to our waitlist and provided with curated grief resources or connected with appropriate community support options.​​​​​​​

How to Register:
Please contact the Community and Supportive Care team by emailing supportiveservices@sjhospice.ca or calling 519-337-0537 to learn more about these programs and to register.

All programs are provided at no cost.

Click here to view our Groups & Program Calendar

Click here for Grief & Bereavement Resources

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