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Prof Sarah Egan

Clinical Psychologist; Professor of Discipline of Psychology, enAble Institute and School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University; Clinical Psychologist, Curtin University
University Psychologist Sarah Egan has created a world-first treatment for kids dealing with grief. A program using online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help young children manage grief is currently being trialled in Western Australia. The Curtin University project, funded by the Channel 7 Telethon Trust, targets an urgent need among six to 12-year-olds suffering grief due to the loss of a family member or pet, or parental separation. Project Skil (Supporting Kids in Loss) aims to recruit 85 children from WA to trial the interactive and engaging online therapy, which was developed with input from children who have experienced significant loss.

This initiative builds on the success of a similar internet intervention program for adolescents launched last year, also funded by Telethon. That program led to improved well-being and notable reductions in anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder among participating teens. Professor Sarah Egan, from Curtin’s enAble Institute and School of Population Health, highlighted that grief is common among children — 60% of young people have lost a loved one by age 10, and half have experienced parental divorce. She emphasized the scarcity of effective treatments for grieving children and expressed hope that this accessible, online approach will support children in the moment and prevent future mental health issues.

Professor Egan noted that while face-to-face therapy is effective, it is often difficult for children to access, especially after trauma when they may not be mentally prepared to attend sessions in person. Delivering CBT online removes these barriers and keeps the therapy engaging for children. The program helps children identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours; for example, children grieving parental divorce often blame themselves, and CBT assists them to recognize and reframe these thoughts. After the trial, the program will be made freely available. Researchers are now seeking families across Australia with children aged six to 12 to participate in the study. Interested families can register at www.skilgrief.com

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Grief in children: Practical insights for clinical care

Prof Sarah Egan discusses recognising and supporting grief in children, and how online CBT is improving access to care.

By Prof Sarah Egan
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