To provide grief counselling to 5-18 year olds after the death of their parent/carer. 1 in 20 children before the age of 18 experience the death of a parent. This grant will provide 25 children/young people six sessions of individual counselling participation in our weekend grief program and four family reconnection days over a 12-month period.

Children who have experienced parental loss can find it difficult to speak to their remaining parent as they often try to protect them from pain. Parents can also be unsure or unwilling to be open with children. When parents are supported in learning how to have honest conversations, it decreases stigma, confusion, and mistrust, and it rebuilds stronger relationships. Over the last 4 years, 81 families (78.6%) were single mother families who had a father deceased; 22 families (21.4%) were sole father with a mother deceased. The children’s age at death of their parent/carer ranged from 1 month old to 15 years, median age at death was 6.7 years. Many were from low socio-economic areas, and many children have a range of disabilities and diversities from neuro- and gender-diversity to trauma and mental health challenges.

Counselling sits alongside the flagship program of weekend grief camps, where children and a parent join for 2 days and do therapeutic and fun activities to explore their loss and connect with others. Wombats Wish provides holistic, wrap-around services to families until their child is 18, including a camp for teens, family days for recreation and connection and much information and psycho-education to individuals, schools, GPs and communities. All of our services are free to our clients and are facilitated by qualified practitioners.

 The outcomes include increasing the reach of counselling services to as many grieving children in Geelong by increasing awareness of our service and referrals to it. They aim that all schools, community services, and GPs receive information packages. Wombat’s Wish aim to provide all families with a welcoming, supportive service at a time of death and professional services for the child over the developmental years.

The outcome is that children and their families better understand and feel validated in their loss experience, develop language and tools to help express grief and are reconnected to schools, services and communities to reduce isolation. By being part of the community of Wombat’s Wish, they develop their peer support and help others through loss.