Supporting Children in Separation & Divorce Within the Grief & Loss Context

Description

The lives of children are disrupted and affected significantly by separation and divorce. It is therefore crucial to understand these effects to develop supportive measures that positively impact the child’s development. Divorce not only impacts on the lives of the separated and divorced parents but also the lives of those around them, specifically their children. Each child reacts to divorce differently. Their grief and loss experience is very much unique and individual. The effects of divorce on children tend to be negative, with children displaying increased stress and behaviours such as anxiety, depression, guilt, insecurity, relationship problems, academic performance, and strife with parents (Grathwohl 2020). This workshop explores the grief and loss of child/children’s experience during separation and divorce and further provides information that may support the care that they need for emotional wellbeing.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the workshop participants will be able to:

• describe the impact of separation and divorce on children and young people
• identify the expressions of grief and loss within the context of separation and divorce
• explain approaches to supporting children’s emotional wellbeing.

Presenter Profile

Santhi Corcoran is a Lecturer, and researcher in Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Social Sciences in Mary Immaculate College, and University of Limerick, in the Republic of Ireland. She currently also works with the Children’s Grief Centre in Limerick. The Children’s Grief Centre provides support for school aged children and young people affected by loss through death, separation or divorce. We offer a safe and supportive place for children, young people and their families who are grieving. Santhi was formerly with the NHS (National Health Service) in London, United Kingdom, as a senior clinician, palliative care specialist nurse, educator and Integrated Governance manager. She has contributed to and published articles in health, education, psychology, migration research, and European social care policy briefing.

Santhi Corcoran