Staff competencies for sibling group leaders in hospices

The following staff competencies were developed in conjunction with the Association of Childrens Hospices. These are the areas of skill and knowledge that staff need in order to run sibling groups in children's hospices:

1. Knowledge of typical child development at all ages

2. Knowledge of sibling issues

• The needs and experiences of siblings
• What helps siblings                                                              

3. Knowledge of the grief process in children

4. Recognising when a sibling needs referral to an external agency  

5. Skilled at facilitating group discussion with children

• Designing age appropriate activities
• Acknowledging siblings feelings and experiences
• Using creative media to enable children to express themselves
• Teaching coping mechanisms                                                 

6. Skilled at one to one support work with children

• Designing age appropriate activities
• Acknowledging siblings feelings and experiences
• Using creative media to enable children to express themselves
• Teaching coping mechanisms                                               

7. Skilled at influencing parents to help with the support process

• Helping parents look at their assumptions
• Providing positive leverage for change
• Facilitating parent –sibling discussion

8. Skilled at using bereavement support interventions with children

• Pre bereavement
• At time of death
• Post bereavement 

9. Ability to work with other agencies/staff to promote sibling support

• Educating hospice and school staff about sibling issues
• Providing resource materials for above                                 

10.Ability to evaluate work with siblings

• Setting measurable outcomes for work
• Methods for collecting data on outcomes