New Jersey Adoption Resource Clearing House

Ambiguous Loss & How to Help Children Cope with Uncertainty

Do you know or work with children who:

 – Are in foster care or being raised by grandparents?

– Are separated from their parents for long periods of time?

– Have parents with substance abuse?

– Were unable to attend a funeral or grieving ritual for a loved one?

– Have a caregiver or loved one who is missing?

These are just a few common examples of ambiguous loss, which is defined as a loss with unclear boundaries.

 This lack of closure and rituals around the complicated experience of ambiguous loss can exacerbate behavioral health challenges for children.