Building Grief-Sensitive Schools: Training Boston Public Schools Social Workers
In classrooms across Boston, children and teens are grieving—often without the support they need. One in 13 children in Massachusetts will experience the death of a parent or sibling before turning 18, yet grief remains an overlooked challenge in schools. Educators and school-based professionals play a vital role in providing stability, support, and understanding for grieving students.
Recognizing this need, The Children’s Room partnered with Boston Public Schools for a professional development session to help school social workers foster grief-sensitive environments where students feel seen, heard, and supported.
Creating Grief-Sensitive Schools
During this interactive training, 85 BPS social workers from over 45 schools across the city gathered to learn how to support students who are grieving. The session, led by Christine Lambright, TCR’s Program Director for School & Community-Based Services, and Jon Gay, TCR’s Executive Director, provided a deep dive into the ways grief affects students’ social, emotional, and academic well-being.
The discussion covered the challenges students face when they are managing grief and attending school, from struggling with focus in class to feeling isolated from their peers. Social workers explored how grief can show up in school environments and how seemingly routine moments—an empty chair in the lunchroom, a classroom project about family history—can create powerful emotions. The training also emphasized the importance of responding with flexibility and compassion, ensuring that students feel supported rather than singled out.
Participants worked through real-world scenarios, brainstorming responses to situations they may encounter in their schools. They also identified key strategies to help students navigate grief, including best practices for supporting a student immediately after a loss and long-term approaches for fostering a grief-sensitive school culture.
Training That Makes an Impact
For many participants, the session provided new insights and practical tools to better support students. One social worker shared, “I really appreciated this well-organized and thoughtful training, the hands-on activities, and reflections.” Another noted that, “The resources and discussions were excellent.” The case-based activities were particularly valuable, as one participant highlighted: “It was useful to learn how to recognize and support students experiencing grief. The case scenarios were especially helpful.”
By combining expert knowledge with interactive learning, the session reinforced that grief support in schools is not just about crisis response—it’s about creating a culture of understanding and openness. Social workers left with a clearer sense of how to make their schools more grief-sensitive and better equipped to provide students with the support they need.
Collaboration Strengthens Communities
At The Children’s Room, we believe that grief support is a community-wide effort. Schools can provide students with more than just academics—they can offer compassion, consistency, and a sense of belonging during difficult times. A single conversation with a trusted adult can make all the difference for a student who is grieving, offering them reassurance that they are not alone.
By partnering with school professionals, we can help reshape how grief is understood and addressed in educational settings, ensuring that every child and teen has access to the support they need to thrive. The impact of this collaboration extends beyond individual students; it creates a school culture where grief is acknowledged and supported, not ignored or stigmatized.
We are grateful for the Boston Public Schools’ Social Workers who participated in this training, and we look forward to continuing this vital work together.
Get Involved: Bring Grief-Sensitive Training to Your School
If you’re an educator, school counselor, or mental health professional, TCR offers services to help schools build compassionate, grief-informed communities.
Learn more about our School & Community-Based Services
Interested in hosting a training for your school or district? Contact us at info@childrensroom.org.
–
Boston Public Schools. (2024, March 13). [Photograph]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1062789892549050&set=pb.100064541477842.-2207520000&type=3
