11/20/2025
ChildGriefAwarenessDay.org. November 20
“Childhood grief profoundly impacts bereaved youth, families, and communities. The death of an important
person in a child’s life is one of the most frequently reported adverse childhood experiences. Unaddressed
childhood grief and trauma can lead to short- and long-term difficulties including poor academic
performance, mental health issues, and early mortality.” (Judis House/JAG)
THE BREADTH OF THE ISSUE:
According to the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model:
• 1 i n 12 children in the US (that’s more than 8 percent) will experience the death o f a parent or sibling by age 18-
which is 6 million bereaved US children and teens.
• This number more than doubles to 14.7 million when the age is increased to 25.
• Nearly 80 percent o f those who lost a parent said it was the hardest thing they have ever had t o face.
• Looking at bereavement figures for a single year shows that nearly 1,200 children under the age o f 18 were newly
bereaved every day in 2021.
• Those who lost a parent growing up said it took 6 + years before they could move forward, yet 57 percent reported
that support from family and friends waned within the first 3 months following the loss.
• 5 9 percent of adults who lost a parent growing u p say they have experienced
more feelings of sadness or depression in their life compared to most adults.
THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORT
• Bereaved children feel understood and validated when caregivers
openly discuss the person and/ or the death.
• Bereaved young children are more likely to be expelled from school,
repeat a grade, less likely to be in gifted education programs and to
have a disability.
• The earlier in life a child loses a parent, the more profound the impact.
According t o the New York Life Foundation’s 2017 Bereavement Survey:
• More than two-thirds of educators “always” or “usually” see withdrawal.
difficulty concentrating, absenteeism, and a decrease in academic
performance after a death in a student’s life.
• 7 in 10 teachers currently have at least one student in their classes) who had lost a parent, guardian, sibling or close friend in the past
year.
