 Program Overview
SoundCareKids is a support program for families with children who have experienced the death of a significant person in their lives. Groups meet the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month. Each ninety-minute session utilizes age-appropriate activities that are designed to mmet the unique needs of grieving children. Pizza and soda are provided for families each week.
Children are placed into groups by age: our Littles group consists of children ages 5-8; our Middles group is for children ages 9-12; our Teens group is for adolescents ages 13-18. While the children are meeting in their groups, the Adult Caregivers meet to discuss what the children are learning and how to help guide the children through their grief. Families come together at the end of each session for a closing ceremony with music and candle lighting.
Facilitators
The groups are supervised by a Master’s level counselor and are facilitated by volunteers from the community who have been through background checks, have had specialized training, and who have a genuine interest in helping grieving children learn skills to cope with their loss.
SoundCareKids—A Safe Environment
In SoundCareKids groups, children and youth have the opportunity to:
- Express grief in creative, experiential ways—often through play or similar methods
- Share feelings in a safe, non-judgmental environment
- Make friends with other kids who have experienced the death of someone important in their lives
- Experience healing and peace in the midst of their pain
 Session Topics
The following weekly topics are used to focus on various aspects of grief.
- Group Building and Telling My Story
- Exploring Death
- Identifying Changes
- Identifying and Expressing Feelings
- Exploring Unfinished Business
- Coping with Feelings
- Learning Self-Care and Support
- Memories/Remembering
Registration
Families must register to participate. Please call the SoundCareKids Bereavement Program at 1-800-869-8311 or (360) 493-5928 to request the registration materials and to register for the group.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How much does this program cost?
The SoundCareKids program is sponsored by Providence SoundHomeCare and Hospice and is offered as a community service without any charge to participants.
What can I expect?
Our goal is to help children work through their grief by learning about death, understanding the grief process, and remembering the person who died through activities, sharing, and play. We also have trained therapy dogs who sit with the children during group. Adults receive education about how to help their children through grief.
How soon can we start attending?
New families are welcome to begin attending on the 1st Thursday of each month. You may call at any time to request registration materials and to register.
Littles Group
(Ages 5-8)
 Developmentally, children in this age group have a difficult time with abstract concepts such as death. It’s not uncommon for young children to think of death as reversible, as abandonment, and sometimes as their fault. In our Littles group, we use therapeutic play, books, art, puppets, and music to help support the Littles through the grieving process. Each child also works on a book about his or her experience with SoundCareKids.
Middles Group
(Ages 9-12)
 Children in this age range begin to see death as permanent. They are becoming more abstract thinkers and are starting to have the ability to mourn and understand mourning, but they may also feel that the death is a punishment. In our Middles group we use therapeutic talking, writing, coloring, creating, and sharing.
Teens Group
(Ages 13-18)
 While teens may be more articulate in talking about their grief, it still can be difficult for them to express their feelings and thoughts to family and friends. In our Teens group, we use therapeutic journaling, music, poetry, talking, creating, and games to help teens work through their grief at their own pace.
Parents/Caregivers
The challenges of parenting are intensified when a child is grieving, and adult caregivers often feel at a loss to know how to help their child cope effectively. In our Adult Caregivers group, we use education and therapeutic talking to help adults develop skills to support their child through the grieving process. Adult caregivers meet to discuss what the children are learning about grief, coping, and expressing feelings; learn about grief and how it can be experienced at different life stages; and learn from the experiences of other adults.
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