Katie* and Jordan’s* dad was twenty-five when he suddenly passed away.
Their mum was unwell, and couldn’t manage the children on her own so grandma Helen* stepped in to take charge of her two grandchildren.
Both children had been struggling to come to terms with their mum’s ill health and now they were faced with the grief and loss of their dad dying. They became withdrawn and anxious, and developed low self-esteem. Too afraid to let themselves feel loved and cared for, they often ignored Helen when she tried to talk to them.
However, Helen was determined to do everything in her power to give Katie and Jordan a fair start in life. She decided to get professional help for the children and arranged for them to meet their own Family Works counsellor to help them deal with the sudden loss of their dad and the absence of their mum.
Family Worker Christy* met Katie and Jordan and began to develop trust with them, encouraging the children to share their worries with her.
The children opened up, and were able to express their deepest feelings about losing their dad, and explore their overwhelming emotions and fears of being left alone.
Katie and Jordan made great progress. Helen found that the children’s spirits were lifting and they began sharing not only their feelings about their dad but also their happy memories of him too.
Today Katie and Jordan often talk about their dad and they have a close, loving relationship with their gran.
*Names changed and stock image used to protect identities.
