Children's understanding of death at different ages: Developmental capacities and how this shapes the support you provide to families

Adolescents Communication skills Death of a child Death of a parent or caregiver Grief theory Infants and young children School-age children Siblings Grief 101

Families may ask you how they can explain death to their children. Your answer will vary depending on the child's age and developmental level. Here is some information to help you guide parents on what they can say and do to help their children make sense of a death.