Red Nose is excited to announce that its pilot project ‘Supporting Siblings of Loss’ has been awarded a grant from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation.
A first for Red Nose’s bereavement services, ‘Supporting Siblings of Loss’ will help provide vital bereavement support for children in Western Australia who have experienced the loss of a sibling.
The grant will fund the development of initiatives that will help reduce the long-term impacts that grief can have on the mental, social and emotional development of children who have experienced the devastation of losing a sibling.
Red Nose CEO, Keren Ludski, is delighted that this grant will provide children who have lost a sibling with integral support. These sessions are designed to help children process what has happened in their family and reduce the long-term impact that such complex grief can have on the mental health of children and young people.
“Supporting Siblings of Loss takes an evidence-based approach to reducing the impact of grief and improving the mental health outcomes of siblings,” Keren said.
“Red Nose is committed to the project outcomes over the long term and one of our strategic priorities is to ensure that children who experience the loss of a sibling have access to appropriate and age-specific bereavement support.
“We know how heartbreaking it is for parents when they need to let their living children know that their brother or sister has died.
“One of the key objectives of this project is to provide all bereaved siblings with the opportunity to engage in activity-based support groups, with the focus on developing strong social connections and reduce isolation,” Keren said.
Supporting Siblings of Loss, the first program of its kind across all of Red Nose’s bereavement services, was made possible by the Trustees of the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation.
“We acknowledge how vital Red Nose’s Supporting Siblings of Loss project is in making a difference to many families throughout Western Australia,” said a spokesperson from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation.
“Red Nose has a strong history of ongoing support to bereaved families who have been affected by the loss of a pregnancy, stillbirth, or the death of a baby or child,” said a spokesperson from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation.
‘Supporting Siblings of Loss’ has been codesigned through engagement with families allowing the project to meet the specific needs of siblings experiencing grief in Western Australia.