New Families Camp

Lionheart's New Families Camp is a free, two-day grief support program for children and teens aged 5 to 17, and the adults who support them. Run by skilled professionals and compassionate, well-trained volunteers, these day-camps are a safe space where families learn that grief is a natural and healthy response to death. It also offers a rare opportunity to connect with others who understand.

Lionheart offers this program free of charge in the Perth metro area several times a year. We also endeavour to support regional and remote families. If your community is interested in hosting a New Families Camp, please reach out. We would love to hear from you.

The remaining 2025 camp dates are July 5 and 6, and October 18 and 19.

Follow the link below to register your interest and our Family Liaison Officer will be in touch.

BUILDING LIONHEARTS

"A lionheart is a person of exceptional courage and bravery” - The Collins Dictionary.

At camp, our focus is always on building lionhearts and we aim to do this in the following ways:

• Helping children and their supporting adults understand the process of grief.
• Normalising the grief process for children and increase their awareness of loss as a natural part of living.
• Helping children to identify with the spectrum of emotions associated with the death of a parent or sibling; and to share or express emotions in a healthy, constructive way.
• Providing the opportunity to connect with other children experiencing the death of a sibling or parent.
• Strengthening parents’ and caregivers’ knowledge and skills in how to support their grieving children, while also managing their own emotions following the death of a partner or child
• Minimising the negative impacts of childhood bereavement on longer-term physical and mental health, education, employment and lifestyle.
• Ensuring that no child grieves alone.

EDUCATION FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Strengthening the whole family is how significant and sustainable change happens in the home, which is why adults are invited to attend camp for the full two days along with their children.

We walk our adults through the information that is being shared with the children, so all family members are equipped with the same skills needed to have difficult conversations, express their grief and understand what grief looks like. Adults are also supported to understand and navigate their own grief while simultaneously supporting their child with theirs.

In the week following camp, we run a 1.5 hour webinar for extended family members, neighbours, friends, football coaches and anyone else who might be supporting the family in their grief journey. During the webinar, participants will learn about the information that has been shared during camp as well as helpful tips on how they can support the grieving family in their life. A Q+A session with our bereavement professionals is also offered at the conclusion of the webinar.