This session will outline some of the common adjustment reactions related to crisis and loss associated with the COVID-19 pandemic to anticipate among children and youth this fall and offer practical advice on how to help them cope with the continuing pandemic. Information will be presented on how to help children and youth both with grief and loss outside the context of a crisis as well as the unique challenges of supporting grieving individuals during the pandemic. Free resources from the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement and the Coalition to Support Grieving Students to address these challenges will be highlighted. The session will underscore the need to provide support to professionals and to promote self-care. Time will be devoted to questions and discussion. Together, we will consider how best to support children and youth, as well as ourselves, during the recovery phase of the pandemic.

Presenter: David J. Schonfeld, MD, FAAP, established and directs the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement (www.schoolcrisiscenter.org), located at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; the Center coordinates the Coalition to Support Grieving Students (www.grievingstudents.org), comprised of over 125 organizations including the major educational professional organizations (AASA, AFSA, AFT, ASCA, NAESP, NASN, NASP, NASSP, NEA, SSWAA founding members – along with NCSCB and the New York Life Foundation). Dr. Schonfeld is a developmental-behavioral pediatrician and Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He has authored more than 150 scholarly articles, book chapters and books (e.g., The Grieving Student: A Guide for Schools, 2nd edition, Brookes Publishing) and has given more than 1,000 presentations on the topics of pediatric bereavement and crisis.