Schools handle schedules, standards, and assessments well. But when families face a lifelong diagnosis, the loss is invisible, ongoing, and rarely acknowledged.
Blog Content:
Ambiguous loss occurs when there is no clear ending—no funeral, no closure, and no societal permission to grieve. Families of children with disabilities experience this loss daily. They mourn the life they imagined while fiercely loving the child they have.
Schools are often unprepared for this type of grief. Systems are built around compliance, timelines, and paperwork—not emotional reality. When parents advocate passionately, they are sometimes labeled “difficult,” when in truth, they are grieving.
Educators also feel this strain. Without training, staff may default to problem-solving instead of listening. This creates distance rather than partnership.
Grief-informed schools recognize that ambiguous loss is not weakness—it is a human response. When schools acknowledge this grief, communication improves, trust grows, and collaboration becomes possible.
CTA:
White Harbor Consulting helps schools develop language and systems that honor the emotional realities of families.