Childhood Bereavement Amidst Multiple Pandemics

Childhood bereavements are not new and normal, culturally defined mourning processes have always required social support. Unfortunately, COVID-19 – like other pandemics, wars, natural disasters, and famines – has complicated and disrupted normal mourning in both children and adults. I review some of these complications and disruptions and then go on to describe some of the interventions that may be helpful and supportive to bereaved children and their families. While it is important to avoid viewing mourning processes as evidence of psychopathology, it remains true that a sensitive, psychoanalytically attuned approach to mourning may help identify those people who, because of past or present circumstances, may find their bereavements to be particularly disorganizing. That attunement puts us in a position to help individual children, families, and whole communities find alternative ways to do the work of mourning despite the obstacles imposed by pandemics, wars, and natural disasters.

Navigating multiple pandemics: A critical analysis of the impact of COVID-19 policy responses on gender-based violence services

COVID-19 illustrated what governments can do to mobilise against a global threat. Despite the strong governmental response to COVID-19 in Canada, another ‘pandemic', gender-based violence (GBV), has been causing grave harm with generally insufficient policy responses. Using interpretive description methodology, 26 interviews were conducted with shelter staff and 5 focus groups with 24 executive directors (EDs) from GBV service organizations in Ontario, Canada. Five main themes were identified and explored, namely that: (1) there are in fact four pandemics at play;(2) the interplay of pandemics amplified existing systemic weaknesses;(3) the key role of informal partnerships and community support, (4) temporary changes in patterns of funding allocation;and (5) exhaustion as a consequence of addressing multiple and concurrent pandemics. Implications and recommendations for researchers, policy makers, and the GBV sector are discussed.

Childhood Bereavement Amidst Multiple Pandemics

Childhood bereavements are not new and normal, culturally defined mourning processes have always required social support. Unfortunately, COVID-19 - like other pandemics, wars, natural disasters, and famines - has complicated and disrupted normal mourning in both children and adults. I review some of these complications and disruptions and then go on to describe some of the interventions that may be helpful and supportive to bereaved children and their families. While it is important to avoid viewing mourning processes as evidence of psychopathology, it remains true that a sensitive, psychoanalytically attuned approach to mourning may help identify those people who, because of past or present circumstances, may find their bereavements to be particularly disorganizing. That attunement puts us in a position to help individual children, families, and whole communities find alternative ways to do the work of mourning despite the obstacles imposed by pandemics, wars, and natural disasters.