This issue of NASET’s Parent-Teacher Conference Handouts series was written by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) focuses on addressing the impacts of parent and caregiver loss on children. Losing a parent or caregiver is a tragic and life-changing event for a child. Supporting children and families who have experienced loss is deeply embedded in the strategic goals and mission of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). It is a necessary and urgent part of addressing the ongoing impact of COVID-19, which has taken so many lives in our communities, as well as the toll that overdose, suicide, violence, and other causes have taken on children and youth. ACF is committed to partnering with our grant recipients and state and local stakeholders to ensure that children, youth, and families who have lost a parent or caregiver are supported and connected with the services and resources they need to find stability again. In recent years, losing a parent or caregiver has become an ongoing tragedy for children and youth caused by the co-occurring COVID-19 and drug overdose crises as well as increases in suicides and homicides.
Addressing the Impacts of Parent and Caregiver Loss on Children
Losing a parent or caregiver is a tragic and life-changing event for a child. Supporting children and families who have experienced loss is deeply embedded in the strategic goals and mission of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). It is a necessary and urgent part of addressing the ongoing impact of COVID-19, which has taken so many lives in our communities, as well as the toll that overdose, suicide, violence, and other causes have taken on children and youth. ACF is committed to partnering with our grant recipients and state and local stakeholders to ensure that children, youth, and families who have lost a parent or caregiver are supported and connected with the services and resources they need to find stability again.
In recent years, losing a parent or caregiver has become an ongoing tragedy for children and youth caused by the co-occurring COVID-19 and drug overdose crises as well as increases in suicides and homicides. It is estimated that more than 229,000 children have lost one or both parents; 252,000 have lost a primary caregiver; and 291,000 have lost a primary or secondary caregiver due to COVID-19.[1] Families and communities of color, including tribal communities, have disproportionately experienced the negative impact of these losses. While they represent 39% of the U.S. population, children of racial and ethnic minorities made up 65% Visit disclaimer page of those who lost a caregiver due to the pandemic. Compared to white children, American Indian and Alaska Native children were 4.5 times more likely to lose a parent or grandparent caregiver; Black children were 2.4 times more likely; and Hispanic children were nearly 2 times more likely to have lost a parent to COVID-19.
Overdose deaths have continued to rise as well, in both urban and rural areas, increasing 31% in the U.S. from 2019 to 2020.[2] In 2019 and 2021, an estimated 199,320 people died from a drug overdose.[3] Like COVID-19, racial and ethnic disparities persist in drug overdose deaths. While the total number of children who lost a caregiver to drug overdose is unknown, a study in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, found that over a 16-year period more than 1,000 Visit disclaimer page children lost a parent because of an unintentional drug overdose in that single county. HHS’ overdose prevention strategy Visit disclaimer page, launched in October 2021, is actively promoting primary prevention, harm reduction, evidence-based treatment, and recovery supports.
Suicide and homicide remain leading causes of death Visit disclaimer page (PDF) for people between the ages of 15 and 44 in the U.S. Suicide rates in 2020 were 30% higher than in 2000 Visit disclaimer page. In 2020, more than 45,000 individuals died by suicide. Tragically, suicide was the second leading cause of death among young people aged 10-14 and 25-34 years. These deaths devastate families and communities. Several populations are at high risk for suicide including American Indians, Alaska Native youth, LGTBQI+ youth, rural men, military veterans, and law enforcement officials. The CDC’s Suicide Prevention Strategic plan Visit disclaimer page outlines four priorities for pursuing the vision of no lives lost to suicide. The homicide rate in the U.S. increased from 6.0 homicides per 100,000 in 2019 to 7.8 per 100,000 in 2020. This represents the highest homicide rates since 1995 Visit disclaimer page. Disparities persist in homicide deaths. Black or African American, American Indian and Alaskan Native, and Hispanic or Latino persons have higher homicide rates Visit disclaimer page than other racial and ethnic demographic groups. In response, CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention implements science-based programs, policies, and practices with partners and communities to create safer communities.
Human services programs play a critical role in supporting children and families who suffer from the tragedy of losing a parent or caregiver. I encourage you to consider how programs that offer concrete and family-focused supports can be deployed quickly and efficiently by knowledgeable service providers using trauma-informed approaches — and culturally and linguistically competent providers — to assist children and families impacted by parent and caregiver loss. A timely response to provide resources necessary to maintain or regain stability can help build the protective factors needed for long-term health and well-being. We can also all play a role in building community resilience in an ongoing way so that when families experience these tragedies, their communities are already equipped to provide both the acute and sustained support that families need.
ACF is working with agencies across the federal government and in partnership with states, tribes, territories, local governments, and grant recipients to ensure that families who experience parent and caregiver loss are aware of existing services, programs, and resources meant to offer support. We anticipate a variety of emotions as part of grieving and recovering from traumatic experiences associated with parent and caregiver loss. As a result, ACF and other Operating Divisions within HHS and across the federal government have taken actions to address the needs of children and families affected by loss. A summary of actions is included in an Appendix.
ACF is committed to communicating information about programs and resources to support families after parent and caregiver loss and fostering partnerships that support children, youth, and families who have experienced parent or caregiver loss. We encourage you to share the following strategies and resources to support these families:
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/policy-guidance/addressing-impacts-parent-and-caregiver-loss-children
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