HopeSpace Galway Children's Grief Service

How does HopeSpace work?
Parent/Guardian contacts us to refer their child through this website, by phone, email, Instagram or Facebook. We talk to you about the service, and if appropriate, book you in for an appointment.

If you are not eligible for the service, we will give you information on alternative services.

In the first session, we meet the Parent/Guardian without the child. We explore the opportunities to help the child/young person. The trained volunteer normally meets the child/young person for one-to-one sessions (each lasting about 45 minutes).

On average, children attend six sessions during which they encourage them to talk about their grief and help them to identify their emotions around these feelings.

The child must always be accompanied to HopeSpace by a parent/guardian who waits in a separate room.

Children are given the opportunity to allow their parent(s)/guardian(s) to participate at the end of each session. Children’s expression of emotions is facilitated in ways appropriate to their development stage and wishes through creative play, talking and listening.

The child/young person’s emotions around their loss are acknowledged and validated which helps them to come to terms with their new reality and the changes in their life.

We invite the child/young person back for a follow-up session 3-4 months after their final session.


Please note: We do not accept referrals until a period of three months has elapsed following a loss. We do not provide a service for children/young people who have lost a loved one through suicide.