Lynchburg, VA — The National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG), in collaboration with the Coalition to Support Grieving Students, today published a comprehensive new resource to help school-based mental health professionals plan, implement, and sustain grief support groups for students who have experienced the death of someone significant in their lives.
The Best Practices for School-Based Support Groups for Bereaved Students guide offers practical strategies grounded in grief-informed care to support schools in meeting the needs of students who are grieving.
Research shows that grief affects student well-being and academic engagement, and educators overwhelmingly want tools to support students through these experiences. The new guide was developed to help school professionals create structured, supportive environments where students can process their grief alongside peers.
“Schools have been asking us for advice on how to run bereavement support groups for their students,” said David J Schonfeld, MD, Director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement. “We turned to the National Alliance for Children’s Grief and asked them to take a lead in the process since their members run children’s bereavement centers around the country and NACG has an established record of developing high-quality, practical consensus guidelines.”
The 30-plus page document offers guidance on staffing, group preparation, recruitment and screening, session planning, logistics, family communication, and facilitator self-care. It also includes frameworks for creating supportive group spaces, communication tools for engaging caregivers, and resources for ongoing professional support.
“We know that students don’t leave their grief at the school door,” said NACG CEO Deirdra Flavin. “This resource equips schools with concrete practices that honor children’s grief experiences, promote connection, and foster environments where students feel seen and supported.”
The guide is available now at NACG’s resource library on ChildrenGrieve.org and on the Coalition’s website at GrievingStudents.org.
About The National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG)
The National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG) is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about the needs of children and teens who are grieving a death and provides education and resources for anyone who supports them. The NACG is a nationwide network comprised of professionals, institutions and volunteers who promote best practices, educational programming, and critical resources to facilitate the mental, emotional, and physical health of grieving children and their families. For more information, visit: www.ChildrenGrieve.org.
About The Coalition to Support Grieving Students
The Coalition to Support Grieving Students is a unique collaboration of the leading professional organizations representing classroom teachers (including teachers, paraprofessionals, and other instructional staff), principals, assistant principals, superintendents, school board members, and central office staff, student support personnel (including school counselors, school nurses, school psychologists, school social workers, and other student support personnel), and other school professionals who have come together with a common conviction: grieving students need the support and care of the school community. For more information, visit: www.GrievingStudents.org.