Grieving Children and Adolescents: The Role of Internet Support

Continuing Education Available for Professionals!

Many of us are "digital immigrants." During our lives we were introduced to the Internet. Children and adolescents are "digital natives," having grown up with this technology. Through social networking, live games, texting, and tweeting, they connect to their immediate circle of friends as well as a wider group, retaining and nurturing friendships with people they met -- in schools, old neighborhoods, camps, and on vacations. For young people, the Internet is a source of support and information, so it is natural they would turn to the Internet when they grieve. It is essential that counselors, clergy, social workers, child life specialists, educators, guidance counselors, funeral director, and parents understand the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing the Internet in grief and learn strategies for opening a dialog with children and adolescents about the ways the use the Internet as they mourn. Panelists will also discuss some innovative ways that their programs use the Internet to encourage and support young people who are grieving.

The speakers will describe the roles of the Internet in the lives of children and adolescents and discuss ways that adolescents may utilize the Internet in bereavement, for education, ritual and support. The discussion will include a look at both social networking sites and grief-specific sites, as well as the impact that role-playing and on-line gaming may have in a young person's experience of loss. The panel will focus on both the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet as a form of grief support for adolescents, and give some specific examples of how they have used this technology to support young people. The clinical implications of research of Internet use for intervention with children and adolescents and their families will be examined, describing the possibilities and limitations for adults or organizations to offer support in a monitored, safe way.

The webinar will be hosted by Kenneth Doka of the Hospice Foundation of America, and will feature panelists Carla Sofka from Siena College and Pamela Gabbay of the Mourning Star Center and National Alliance of Grieving Children. The panel will also be joined by Michelle Hernandez, who will discuss her own experience with loss as a teenager, and how she utilized the Internet as part of her journey through grief.

Continuing Education Available for Professionals! A valuable educational offering for individuals or organizations, with CEs included--in an easy-to-access on-line format! View a list of board approvals here.

Register for the archived program now (available on-demand through June 14, 2011) | Register by mail/fax

This webinar is part of a 3-part series, Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Grief and Loss. The Organization Registration Fee for the 3-part Series is $250, which allows access to both the live webcast and an archived online program for one year past the live webinar, with unlimited CEs (1.5 hours) available for a wide range of professions. If purchased separately, the Organization fee is $100 per program. Register now for the series or register for this program only. 

Technical requirements for viewing the webinar can be found at http://www.videonewswire.com/support/, as well as a link to test your system. Please be sure the system you intend to watch the webinar on is compatible before you register for the webinar. Hospice Foundation of America cannot offer refunds for technical difficulties.

Objectives:
At the conclusion of this Webinar, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe  the roles of the Internet in the lives of children and adolescents and discuss three ways that adolescents may utilize the Internet in bereavement;
  2. Discuss the ways that children and adolescents use social networking sites such as Facebook to memorialize and discuss loss as well as the ways they might access grief specific sites such as kidsaid.com;
  3. Describe the opportunities that adolescents have to form on-line relationships that may result in loss;
  4. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet as a form of grief support for adolescents;
  5. Discuss the clinical implications of research of Internet use for intervention with children and adolescents and their families, describing the possibilities and limitations for adults or organizations to offer support in a monitored, safe way;

Outline:

  1. The Role of the Internet in the Lives of Children and Adolescents
    1. Internet Use in Children and Adolescents
    2. Online Relationships
  2. Children and Adolescent Internet Use and Loss
    1. Online Losses
    2. The Internet as a Grieving Tool
      1. Education
      2. Ritual
      3. Support
    3. Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet Use
  3. Interventive Strategies
    1. Strategies for Clinicians
    2. Empowering Families
  4. Conclusion:  Directions for Future Research

HFA is grateful to the support of The Moyer Foundation for its sponsorship of this series. The Moyer Foundation offers encouragement, comfort and support to children in distress; the Foundation created and funds Camp Erin, the largest network of bereavement camps in the country for children and teens who are grieving a significant loss.

 

Technical Requirements:
View the technical requirements and test your system. We strongly recommend you use a PA system if you intend to show this a large audience. Do not rely on laptop/desktop computer speakers as they will not be able to project the sound enough for an audience to hear. Please be sure the system you intend to watch the webinar on is compatible before you register for the webinar. Hospice Foundation of America cannot offer refunds for technical difficulties.

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