Having a brother or sister who is seriously or terminally ill can be incredibly hard to deal with. It can feel like not everyone understands what you’re going through.
That’s why, Claire House offers emotional support to the families of children and young people who access our services.
This can be anything from one-to-one or group counselling, to fun days out where they can meet others in a similar situation.
“Our siblings form special bonds and it’s these unbreakable friendships and support networks that can get them through the most uncertain and upsetting times,” says Family Support Counsellor Catherine Livesey.
“They build friendships and they’re able to support each other through different stages of their Claire House journey.
“One of the lovely things about mixing siblings and bereaved siblings at our planned activities and groups, is it can give siblings who are potentially facing the loss of their own brother or sister a sense of hope.
“If they are aware of their sibling’s prognosis, they know they won’t be forgotten about – they’ll still be invited to sibling events and have a support system through Claire House.”
This support extends beyond Claire House, with WhatsApp groups set up, playdates arranged and friendships formed when life feels just too hard.
Ruby, whose family have been supported by Claire House, said: “Coming to the sibling events has really helped me over the years. I have been able to build friendships with others in a similar situation and we can all relate to each other.”
Catherine continues: “It’s amazing to see how our sibling service has developed.
“Seeing siblings together, like watching them chatting on the coach as it pulls off to Alton Towers – knowing they’ll have an awesome time, make friends and grow in confidence – makes you smile.
“And it’s knowing the impact of those relationships will stay with them for so long.”
Last year, we offered 230 places, with trips including Ninja Warrior, Alton Towers, soft play, an Easter egg hunt and ‘Sibfest’, as well as three different overnight residentials.
Catherine adds: “We have creative ways of working with children so they can express their thoughts and feelings.
“We were finding the number of children who needed our support was increasing. So, we’ve introduced Sibling Connect – a wellbeing and psychoeducational support group.
“Siblings finish the program with a wellness tool-box they can take home, complete with mental health resources from what they have learnt during the sessions.
“This doesn’t replace the direct therapeutic clinical support for those needing it, but it supports our growing number of referrals. And it’s an effective way to boost children’s coping skills, resilience, and an opportunity to network and make friends.”
