The beginning of a new school year can be stressful and overwhelming for children, families, teachers, and counselors, especially for those who have lost a loved one. This article provides tips and strategies as to how you can support a grieving child as they return to school.

It is estimated that over 600,000 children missed one or more days of school due to fear of bullying or intimidation by other students (CDC, 2015). When a child is grieving, they are more vulnerable to bullying as they may display emotional and behavioral changes at school when processing their losses. Here are some tips for parents and adults to provide practical and emotional support to a grieving child by recognizing signs of bullying.