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Resources

Resources for families navigating grief

We believe families deserve access to trusted, research-informed support at any time. These resources are curated from nationally recognized leaders in children's bereavement, grief education, and trauma-informed care.

Children & Teens
Parents & Caregivers
Schools & Professionals
Specialized Programs
Recommended Books
Immediate Help
Ages 2-18

Children & Teens

Grief changes as children grow. These resources are organized by developmental stage, from early childhood through young adulthood, including activities, guides, and peer support programs tailored to each age group. Organizations like the Dougy Center, Sesame Workshop, and Comfort Zone Camp offer materials families can use at home or with a counselor.
Early Childhood (Ages 2-7)
Sesame Workshop Grief Resources
Sesame Workshop offers child-friendly videos, printable activities, and caregiver guides featuring familiar characters that help young children understand death, express feelings, and maintain connection through memory.

Topics include:
‍
• What does death mean?
• Big feelings and how to calm them
• Remembering someone who died
• Changes in routine
School-Age Children
Age-appropriate support tools grounded in a peer support model similar to Valerie's House.
The Dougy Center Printable Activities & Toolkits
Children's Bereavement Center of South Texas Family Resources
Children's Bereavement Center of South Texas provides grief education materials, family guides, and age-appropriate support tools grounded in a peer support model similar to Valerie’s House.

Topics include:
‍
• Expressing grief through art and writing
• Coping strategies
• Supporting siblings
• Navigating school after a loss
Teens & Young Adults
Adolescents often experience grief alongside identity development, peer pressure, and academic stress.
The Dougy Center Teen Resources
Comfort Zone Camp Teen & Youth Programs
Comfort Zone Camp provides free bereavement camps and virtual programs where children and teens build coping skills and connect with peers who understand loss.

Topics include:

• Managing anger and anxiety
• Feeling different from peers
• Building resilience
• Peer connection
Military & Service-Related Loss
For families grieving a military death
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors offers peer-based support, youth programs, mentorship, and resources specifically for families grieving military service members.
Resources

Parents & Caregivers

Caregivers often carry their own grief while supporting their children. These organizations provide trusted education and guidance.
Parenting Through Grief
Topics include: holiday grief support, managing anniversaries, supporting children after suicide loss, and talking about traumatic death.
National Alliance for Children's Grief Toolkits
Includes:
‍
• Holiday grief support
• Managing anniversaries
• Supporting children after suicide loss
• Talking about traumatic death
Resources

Schools & Community Professionals

Grieving children spend much of their time in school and community environments. These resources support trauma-informed responses.
Classroom & School Support
These resources include: responding to a death in the school community, classroom accommodations, and supporting grieving students long term.
National Alliance for Children's Grief School Resources
National Association of School Psychologists
National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement
These include:

• Responding to a death in the school community
• Classroom accommodations
• Supporting grieving students long term
Professional Education & Training
These resources are helpful for: youth-serving nonprofits, faith communities, volunteer facilitators, and community partners.
The Dougy Center Professional Resources
Children's Bereavement Center
These resources are helpful for:

• Youth-serving nonprofits
• Faith communities
• Volunteer facilitators
• Community partners
Resources

Specialized & National Programs

Some families may benefit from programs outside traditional weekly peer groups.
Peer Bereavement Camps
Free bereavement camps and year-round programs.
Comfort Zone Camp
Military-Specific Support
Military survivor peer support and youth mentorship.
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
National Bereavement Center Directory
Helps families locate children's bereavement centers nationwide.
National Alliance for Children's Grief Support Map
Resources

Immediate Help & Crisis Resources

Valerie's House Northwest Florida provides peer-based grief support groups for children and families. We do not provide crisis intervention or emergency mental health services.

If you are concerned about your child's immediate safety or emotional stability, please use the resources below right away.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

If your child or teen is:

  • Talking about wanting to die
  • Expressing thoughts of suicide
  • Engaging in self-harm
  • Experiencing a mental health crisis
  • Overwhelmed and unable to stay safe

Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to chat online.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7 confidential support, trained crisis counselors, support for youth and adults, Spanish-language services, and specialized support for LGBTQ+ youth.

If there is immediate danger, call 911.

Local Emergency Services

If your child is in immediate danger or you believe they may act on thoughts of self-harm, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

If possible:

  • Stay with your child
  • Remove access to anything that could be used for self-harm
  • Speak calmly and clearly
  • Tell responders that your child is experiencing a mental health crisis

Emergency departments can provide evaluation, stabilization, and referral for ongoing care.

When to Seek Urgent Help

Grief is not a disorder. Many behaviors are common after a death, including sadness, anger, withdrawal, sleep changes, or difficulty concentrating.

However, urgent support is recommended if you notice:

  • Persistent statements about wanting to die
  • Giving away possessions
  • Major behavioral changes that feel sudden or extreme
  • Self-harming behaviors
  • Inability to function at school or home
  • Intense hopelessness that does not ease

If you are unsure whether your child's behavior requires crisis support, it is always appropriate to call 988 for guidance.

Children & Teens
Parents & Caregivers
Schools & Professionals
Specialized Programs
Recommended Books
Immediate Help