For more than 13 years the project OmSorg (Dealing with Bereavement) has been a nationwide practical founded school and kindergarten based intervention towards children (age: 0 - 18) in loss and grief. The aim is to inspire and support teachers and kindergarten staff in attending the difficult matters concerning responsible adult help to grieving children. This is done by offering educational materials, giving lectures, consultation and courses, establishing training groups for bereaved children and by political lobbyism. One of the basic conditions in working with children in loss and grief is that the teachers share a common approach on what their basic responsibilities are.
Therefore one of the main tasks has been (and still is) to encourage the teachers in establishing Action Plans for their meeting with children in loss and grief. During the 10 years action plan intervention so far, we are happy to learn that the schools and kindergartens have realized the necessity and benefit from establishing these plans. A randomized survey among all Danish public schools and kindergartens shows the development on the following issue: "Do you have a written down Action Plan on how to comply with children in loss and grief?" Schools / kindergartens 1998: Yes: 4 % No: 96% /Yes: 0% No: 100%;2009: Yes: 96% No: 4 % / Yes: 78% No: 22% The presentation will focus on: A broad overview of the OmSorg (Dealing with bereavement) effort, and how - over a period of 10 years - to change a whole country's attitude toward issues concerning responsible adult help to grieving children and adolescents in schools and preschool settings.
Recorded: October 2009, Dubrovnik - Cavtat, Croatia.
Coping & Resilience International Conference
Organiser: The Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice
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