Developing and implementing a bereavement program for a children's hospital

The grief of parents after the loss of a child is well recognized. However, the concept of grief in children after the loss of a sibling or a parent has been accepted only recently. This paper describes the development and implementation of a bereavement program for staff and families in a children's hospital. The program is unique in that support is provided to both staff and families. Data gathering, goals of the program, the phases of implementation, and the specific components of support for each group are described. Initial efforts in evaluating the program and implications for the future are discussed.