The death of a child is both heart-breaking and life-changing. Children’s Minnesota offers programs intended to give comfort and support to families during the first year and beyond. We also collaboratively work with Allina Health to serve parents and families grieving a perinatal/infant loss. Grief education programs offer families and children the opportunity to learn, explore and gain some understanding about a variety grief topics. Grief related events offer families the chance to participate in a gathering where their child and other children will be remembered.
Grief education programs, support groups, and grief events all offer reassurance that grief is a normal reaction to the deep and profound loss experienced when a child dies. These programs provide an opportunity for emotional connection, during a time when many families describe feelings of isolation. Additionally, each setting is designed to be comfortable and safe, allowing a space where powerful emotions can be experienced and released.
View 2026 bereavement programs booklet
Support groups
Joining a support group can be very helpful for a variety of reasons. Parents tell us that support groups:
- Offer them a place to talk about their child in a safe setting
- Connect with other bereaved parents to get and give support
- Give reassurance that their grief is a normal reaction to their deep sense of loss
- Allows children to see and hear from other children who may also be experiencing loss
Our recurring and annual events are listed below with a description that may help you determine which support group is best for you, or your family:
Grief and bereavement events
Click the icon (+) below to view upcoming dates, description and registration information.
Living with Grief: Youth program
The death of loved one is both heartbreaking and life-changing. The Living with Grief Youth Program is a safe space for children and teens who are grieving the death of a loved one — a sibling, parent, grandparent, friend or any special person — to talk about their special person, and connect with others who have experienced a similar loss.
Each session focuses on a different grief topic. Children and teens will explore this topic through age-appropriate conversation, art, music, movement and creative interactions. Child life specialists and music therapists offer children and teens the opportunity to learn, explore and gain some understanding about a variety grief topics. Grief groups can be helpful to children and teens because it helps them see that they are not alone, that other kids just like them are grieving.
Living with Grief: Virtual Parent/Caregiver program
Throughout the grief journey many parents find value in coming together with other grieving parents who can understand and appreciate the intense grief that comes when a child dies. Each session of this program will cover a pre-selected topic, while also having time for open discussion. Parents will have the option to talk about their child and their family’s story, as well as share feelings, thoughts and concerns. Parents are welcome to participate as they feel comfortable, however there is no pressure to talk — we understand the value of simply gathering together.
The Living with Grief Parent program serves grieving parents/guardians who have experienced the death of a baby or child during “childhood” (ages of preterm birth to approximately age 25).
This program is free of charge and open to any family in the greater community — families do not have to have been cared for in the Children’s Minnesota system to participate. Registration is required.
Sessions will be held virtually on the second Thursday of each month from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Sign up for the Living with Grief: Virtual Parent/Caregiver program
Please contact Bereavement Services with questions at 612-813-7216 or [email protected].
Living with Grief: In-Person Adult program
A person’s death impacts an entire family. This special program is designed to recognize and support the unique grief experienced by adults who are grieving the death of a child or who are grieving the death of a special person while also supporting grieving children. (For example, a person who is supporting children who are navigating the death of a loved one.)
Each session of this program will cover a pre-selected topic, with time for open discussion. Participants will have the option to share their family’s story, along with feelings, thoughts and concerns. They will receive support for their own loss, as well as ideas of how they can be present to the grief of their children.
This program is free of charge and open to all adults in the greater community — families do not have to have been cared for at Children’s Minnesota to participate. New participants are welcome. This group will meet in person.
Registration is encouraged.
Sign up for the Living with Grief: In-Person Adult program
If you have questions about if this program is right for you, please reach out to [email protected] or 612-813-7216.
Pregnancy and Infant Loss support group
Grieving is painful for everyone, and the death of a baby creates a very special grief. Family and friends may be unable to give grieving parents the support they need. If your baby has died, there are people who understand these intense feelings of loss and emptiness: other parents who have lost a baby. The natural bond between bereaved parents enables them to support and encourage each other in a very unique way.
The Pregnancy and Infant Loss support group helps parents whose baby has died through ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death (shortly following birth or during an NICU stay). The group is made up of parents, and is led by staff members from both Allina Health and Children’s Minnesota.
This support group is not therapy, rather it is a group of parents who find comfort and courage in walking this difficult path together. Some groups are lead by a facilitator and feature specific grief topics, while others are open-ended and focus on the current needs of the participants. Every group is a safe and confidential place to share feelings and coping strategies. The group is free of charge. Registration is required.
Sessions will be held virtually on the second and fourth Monday of each month from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Sign up for the Pregnancy and Infant Loss support group
Please contact Bereavement Services with questions at 612-813-7216 or [email protected].
Parenting while grieving
A virtual workshop for parents/guardians who are actively parenting while also grieving the death of a special person in their life.
During this single-evening workshop parents/guardians will:
- Explore your experience of parenting while grieving.
- Understand how grief impacts your child/adolescent/young adult.
- Support your child’s/adolescent’s/young adult’s grief and healing.
- Develop strategies to support your own coping, self-care and well-being.
This workshop will be limited to 20 families. Registration is required.
Date
Will be held Tuesday, January 27, 2026
How to register
Registration is required. Please contact Bereavement Services with questions or to register at 612-813-7216 or [email protected].
Memory Bash
Memory Bash programming offers you the opportunity to celebrate and honor your loved one who died with remembrance activities. Interested families will have the opportunity to attend an in-person event or receive a care package filled with a variety of art projects and activities designed to keep the memories of your loved one alive.
In-person event
Saturday, November 1, 2025
Care packages
Care packages will be mailed by mid-November.
Go here to learn more and sign up.
If you have questions, please contact Bereavement Services at [email protected] or 612-813-7216.
Annual events hosted by Children’s Minnesota
Children’s Minnesota Annual Memorial Service
The 2026 Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 16.
Children’s Minnesota Memorial Service is a beautiful and meaningful event where families have the opportunity to remember and honor their babies and children who have died. Parents, siblings, extended family and close friends are all welcome.
Register for the Memorial Service here. For more information, please contact Children’s Minnesota bereavement services at [email protected] or 612-813-7216.
How to find additional support groups or grief education resources in your area
Individuals may feel isolated in grief. There are many resources in the community that you can contact to find bereavement support near you, including:
- Allina Health: Abbott Northwestern, United, Mercy, Unity
- Brighter Days Grief Center
- The Center for Grief, Loss and Transition
- Essentia Health
- Health Partners: Lakeview hospital
- North Memorial hospital
Search online using the phases listed below plus the name of your community (for example “grief resources, Minneapolis”):
- Grief support groups
- Grief resources
- Children’s grief
- Bereavement support groups
