DAPHNE, Ala.—Covenant Hospice will begin a “Butterfly Bag” program to help children in southern Alabama deal with the loss of a close relative or friend.

The program—funded by donations and part of the hospice’s children’s support services program—intends to help children express their feelings of grief and loss.

Children will receive an age-appropriate bag that contains materials that could help them deal with the death. Some items in the children’s bag include: a guided journal for older children or a coloring book for young children; an age-appropriate book about grief; a scrapbooking kit; and a stuffed animal or hand puppet.

There is also a parent pack in the bags, which helps parents talk to their child about issues related to death and dying. The parent pack includes a guided journal for the caregiver, literature on adult and children's grief, and a book with information on supporting children or teenagers who are grieving.

“Research suggests that the majority of children cope very well following the loss of a loved one, provided they are given the opportunity to work through their emotions, ask questions, and remember their loved one in a safe and supportive environment. However, talking to children about death and grief can be an intimidating and difficult task for parents and caregivers, particularly if they themselves are grieving,” Lee McDonough, covenant hospice life specialist, said. “The Butterfly Bag was developed by a team of Covenant Hospice bereavement specialists, social workers, nurses and children's specialists, and each item was selected in order to facilitate the child's expression of grief, and to promote communication between the child and parent or caregiver.”

The hospice is a non-profit program that cares for around 1,200 patients a day throughout northwest Florida and south Alabama. It is dedicated to providing services to patients and their close relatives and friends during times of life-limiting illnesses.