Children's Grief Awareness Day

The Cove provides hope and healing for grieving children and their families, as well as training for the professionals who work with them. The Cove a volunteer-driven organization, was started in Guilford. The Cove’s peer support, family-based model was developed to help children find healing due to the death of a parent or sibling. The Cove was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 1998. Beginning in Guilford, the program now includes 5 satellite sites providing a 20 week family program. Current programs The Cove Family Program, a 20 week program, includes a module for each school age group. Each site has a Site Director who is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, who serves as a parent/caregiver educator and Program Director. The Site Director is supported by trained volunteer facilitators who work directly with grieving children in peer support groups. Children are invited to explore, express and process their grief through age appropriate projects and activities involving art, journaling, grief process group work, movement, music, sports and games. Over 70% of the processing activities are art-related, to open up expression and help children to process their grief in a positive and safe environment. Educational materials and resources are provided to supplement processing activities. Children are given tools to understand that their grief is a normal process that can be managed in healthy ways. Parent/Caregivers are educated to support their child's grieving process and open up family communication