When something significant happens in a family, the entire family is affected. If a parent dies or parents separate or a painful loss occurs, not only do the parents grieve, the children do also. Grief is an expression of love and a normal human reaction to a significant loss. Children find it difficult to verbalise their feelings of grief because of their age and inexperience. It may surface in their behaviour, schoolwork and emotional well-being.
Rainbows is a support group that helps children put their feelings into words, work through their grief, build a stronger sense of self-esteem, and begin to accept what has taken place in the family. Rainbows is not a counselling group. It is a safe, confidential setting where children will share their grief associated feelings with each other and trained facilitators.
Children are generally grouped with others experiencing a similar loss. If children are assigned to mixed groups because of necessity e.g. bereavement and separation parents will be informed. Places are limited, so children will be selected on a needs basis.
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