Bereavement affects people of all ages however, it can have a lasting effect on children or young people who lose their parents or loved ones. At The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice, a dedicated Family Support Services Team offer support to children and young people affected by bereavement by providing one-to-one support, group support, and by facilitating various workshops for both children and families.
As a result of receiving a grant from The Emma Cameron Memorial Trust a musical workshop was organised for 1st August 2018 for children aged 5-10 years along with their parents. Music can be an effective tool in the treatment of grief and bereavement. It can help children identify and express their emotions and also provides an opportunity to let loose and engage in social interaction.
The musical instruments used in the workshop were percussion instruments such as gathering drums, tambourines, cymbals, maracas, and tuned instruments such as hand bells and xylophones. These were lightweight, easy to use instruments that produced a pleasant sound without being too complicated to learn. Sensory props such as puppets, scarves, materials, feathers, bubbles,
and balls were also used in the workshop that catered well to the younger children.
A total of 12 children and 6 adults attended the workshop. Children were divided into two different groups based on their ages and the musical workshops were tailored accordingly.
Both adults and children have reported that they had a fun and relaxed experience. A further musical workshop is scheduled to take place later in the year.
