We suggest that you start by reading Talking with Children and Youth About Serious Illness, in the Topics section of our website. This article, written by our clinical team, will give you basic information on how to reach out to teenagers who have someone close to them who is ill and dying. Our Books, Links, and More section lists a number of resources specifically aimed at teenagers, and also includes a list of resources for adults supporting teenagers.

Here are some resources that others have found helpful.

Online resources:

• Hospice Calgary‘s website features articles about teenagers’ responses to illness and loss.
• Nanaimo Community Hospice Society’s Teens and Death website is tailored specifically to youth 13 to 19 years of age. Teens and adults can also read online brochures and handbooks, such as Supporting Teens in Grief, You Count and Your Feelings Matter, and Teens and Grief, on the Society’s webpage Grief Support for Youth between the Ages of 13-19 Years.
• BC Children’s Hospital has created an extensive series of pamphlets for those supporting teenagers, such as Talking about viewing a body..., Talking about cremation..., and When your parent may be facing death...
• Max and Beatrice Wolfe Children's Centre in Toronto provides online resources to help you support children and youth who have someone close to them who is dying or has died.
• When Your Parent Has Cancer: A Guide for Teens by the National Cancer Institute (US) is an online booklet that addresses a range of topics, such as understanding cancer and how to help your parent. It is available in English and Spanish.

Phone resource:

• Kids Help Phone is a toll-free, 24-hour French and English service that offers anonymous phone counselling, referral and Internet services for children and teens.

Books:

• Living Dying: A Guide for Adults Supporting Grieving Children and Teenagers, by Canadian author Ceilidh Eaton Russell, is a practical handbook for parents and professionals supporting youth who have experienced the death of a loved one, or have a loved one who is dying.
• Healing a Teen’s Grieving Heart: 100 Practical Ideas for Families, Friends and Caregivers, by Alan D. Wolfelt, is for adults who want practical, day-to-day "how-tos" for helping a grieving teen. It reviews the unique mourning styles and needs of teenagers, and provides simple activities and tips for relating to a grieving teen.