Concerning research on the grieving process in children, there was a strong school of thought up until the 1960s that held the view that young children were not truly capable of experiencing the emotions of grief. Since then, however, the opposite has been increasingly proven, and a point of view such as the following has emerged more and more strongly in the literature: “Anyone old enough to love is old enough to mourn.” That is why it is so important that children learn healthy ways to deal with loss and grief. Without the necessary guidance, they will fill in the ‘gaps’ in terms of missing information on their own, and they will also imitate negative adult behaviour. The aim of this course is therefore to provide everyone involved in the counselling of children and young people with the necessary guidelines and equipment regarding loss and grief.
- Teacher: Wentzel Coetzer