Education

Empowering professionals and community leaders to care for bereaved children and adults

Education courses in bereavement care

EXPERTISE

For over 30 years, the NCCG has developed and provided quality advanced education and practical skills training for professionals who work with bereaved adults and child or people who are dying
Courses are delivered by our team of counsellors, who have extensive experience in bereavement care for children aged 3-17 years old, adults and families
We draw from diverse previous careers as doctors, social workers or school counsellors to apply expertise to your workplace
All courses are endorsed by the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia [PACFA]

AUDIENCE

Quality training for hospital staff, teachers, school counsellors, psychologists, social workers, chaplains and pastoral care worker, emergency service workers, community workers and a broad range of health care professionals

FLEXIBILITY

In person or online options
Single registrations to tailored courses for teams of 8+ people

Our 2024 Education Course Program

Please note

Recently bereaved: these courses are not recommended for people who are recently bereaved themselves (within the previous 12 months), they are teaching workshops rather than therapy groups
Cancellation fees: 2-4 weeks prior to scheduled date – 50% fee; 1 week prior to scheduled date – 100% fee

Click below for course details and registration.

CORE COURSE IN BEREAVEMENT COUNSELLING

Prerequisite
There is no pre-requisite for this course.

Course Description

This course covers an in-depth study of grief and bereavement and its clinical impact on both children and adults. Participants will:

explore and confront both their personal experiences and common myths and misconceptions around death, bereavement and grief
discover the renowned McKissock model for bereavement counselling developed by the founders of the NCCG
learn to identify risk factors, common grief reactions and be prepared to act in an advocacy and supportive role for dying and bereaved people
develop practical skills and techniques in bereavement care for adults and children that can be immediately applicable to your own workplace – in both formal counselling and more informal, impromptu contexts

Course Directors
Dr Elizabeth Mann / Scott Andrews / Carolyn Johns

Cost
$875

Course Duration
2 half days online and 1 day in person at the NCCG, 98 Balmoral Street, Hornsby NSW (12 CPD hours)

Course Dates

Tuesday 25 February to Thursday 27 February 2025
Day 1 (25 February) and Day 2 (26 February) are online from 9.30am – 1.00pm
Day 3 (27 February) is in person from 9.30am – 4.30pm

Apply

Tuesday 13 May to Thursday 15 May 2025
Day 1 (13 May) and Day 2 (14 May) are online from 9.30am – 1.00pm
Day 3 (15 May) is in person from 9.30am – 4.30pm

Apply

Tuesday 5 August to Thursday 7 August 2025
Day 1 (5 August) and Day 2 (6 August) are online from 9.30am – 1.00pm
Day 3 (7 August) is in person from 9.30am – 4.30pm

Apply

WORKING WITH BEREAVED CHILDREN

Prerequisite
NCCG ‘Core Course In Bereavement Counselling’

Course Description

This course prepares participants to support children aged 3-17 years old following the death of their parent, sibling or other significant person in their life. Participants will:

learn the ways children grieve and understand their loss
develop clinical techniques and practical skills to support children in individual counselling and group program sessions
learn and apply advanced practical techniques to engage a child and enable them to express and explore their grief in safe, productive and creative ways eg tailored games, sports and craft projects
observe a Kids Group session at the NCCG and debrief on the experience

Course includes three interactive days at the NCCG Centre in Hornsby with an opportunity to attend an evening session of the Kids Group program with NCCG clients.

Course Directors
Dr Elizabeth Mann / Scott Andrews / Carolyn Johns

Cost
$875

Course Duration
3 days in person at the NCCG Centre, 98 Balmoral Street, Hornsby (18 CPD hours)

Course Dates

Tuesday, 28 October – Thursday, 30 October 2025
Day 1 (28 October) from 9.30am – 4.30pm
Day 2 (29 October) from 1.00pm – 7.30pm break from 5.00-6.00pm followed by Kids Group observation
Day 3 (30 October) from 9.30am – 3.00pm

Apply

KIDS GRIEF IN THE SCHOOL SETTING

Prerequisite
There is no prerequisite for this course.

Course Description

This interactive short course offers practical advice for those working with bereaved children and young people in the school setting. It will cover grief at different developmental stages, ways to best support both the child, their family and peers; appropriate ways of communicating difficult and sensitive information within the school setting; common challenges that arise in the school setting and how to best manage these issues.

This course is suitable for school counsellors, teachers, pastoral staff and anyone else working with children in both primary and secondary school settings.

Please note – this course does not directly cover crisis management or critical incident planning, except for post-vention grief and bereavement care in these circumstances in a school setting.

Course Directors
Dr Elizabeth Mann / Scott Andrews / Carolyn Johns

Cost
$160

Course Duration
1 half day online (3.5 CPD hours)

Course Dates

Tuesday 18 March 2025
9.30am – 1.00pm online

Apply

Tuesday 22 July 2025
9.30am – 1.00pm online

Apply

PRIVATE COURSES

Prerequisite

To be advised depending on course content requested by client

Course Content

Teams or organisations can book tailored courses to suit the specific needs and interests at your workplace, held online or face-to-face, at the NCCG, your workplace or venue of your choice:

Call us to discuss your needs, so we can develop a course program to suit you. Choose from:

1⁄2 day or full day courses
8-26+ participants
Introductory, intermediate or advanced
Child, adult or mixed client focus
Mix and match core NCCG courses detailed in this brochure with supplementary content and practical exercises to suit your team’s specific needs and interests

Course Directors
Dr Elizabeth Mann / Scott Andrews / Carolyn Johns

Cost

8-25 Participants

$2,500 1⁄2 day $4,900 full day

26-100 Participants

$3,750 1⁄2 day $7,400 full day

Additional costs for travel to some locations outside metropolitan Sydney and course materials depending on client requirements

Course Duration

½ – full day, based on client needs

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