The European Grief Conference is a pioneering initiative bringing together 300 delegates representing researchers, policy makers, educators, practitioners and community bereavement groups, in Ireland and across Europe. It is a forum to reflect, share experience, learn and continuously improve how bereavement needs are identified and how services are delivered.
The inaugural conference was held in Copenhagen in 2022 with 250 participants form 27 countries. The Dublin conference will build on what was learned in 2022.
The conference will hear presentations on how communities and families can best support adults and children as they mourn life’s losses. While much grief support takes place in a very natural way, there are also more formal services required for minorities of people. Our health services need to be equipped to identify those in most need and to have the services available to treat them.
Covid-19 and its restrictions and the ongoing unrest and war across Europe and elsewhere serves as a reminder that bereavement can happen through very complex situations. In addition suicide bereavement is a feature of Western life which will also be considered at this conference.