--- title: "When young families lose a parent - Sapience Financial" description: "Discover the long-term impact of grief over the loss of a family member. Learn how support dwindles after just three months and how understanding is key for being a supportive friend or family member." url: "https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent" date: "2026-05-30T15:43:42+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- # When young families lose a parent - šŸŒ³ Family, Legacy & Aging - [ āš–ļø Estate Law & Succession Planning ](https://sapience.com.au/insights/estate-law-succession) - [ šŸ›”ļø Specialist Risk & Insurance ](https://sapience.com.au/insights/specialist-risk-insurance) ![](https://sapience.com.au/images/blog/big-when-young-families-lose-a-parent-sapience-financial.jpg) Download our free eGuide to better understand the effect the unexpected death of a parent has on a child Reading Time: 5 minutes --- ### The long-term effect of grief over the loss of a family member. ### A recent report about *Millennials and Generation Xā€™ers who lost a parent while growing* up confirmed what most people already suspected - the impact of the loss lasts a lifetime. A third of those surveyed said, ā€˜I've never really gotten over my lossā€™. On average, it took at least six years before they could be happy and able to move forward again with their lives. However, when asked about the level of support they received from family and friends, this often disappeared within just three months after their loss. Unhappily, a further quarter of those surveyed stated; - support *declined after the first week*, - with an additional quarter of those surveyed saying- *their support declined after the first month*. Losing a family member can be a strangely isolating experience for many people. Appallingly, weā€™ve even seen an occurrence where a large Australian supermarket chain, required its grieving staff member to ā€˜return to work the day after the death of their parent because of the ā€˜stores inability to arrange for replacement staff at such short noticeā€™. The words shameful and unconscionable conduct spring to mind. - While there is no timeline or formula for grief, the reality is we could all benefit from better understanding of how we can be more supportive friends and family members. #### *Jump Ahead* 1. [The #1 mistake adults make with a grieving child](https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent#the-1-mistake-adults-make-with-a-grieving-child) 2. [Download our free resource for families](https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent#download-our-free-resource-for-families) 3. [The statistical reality in Australia](https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent#the-statistical-reality-in-australia) 4. [Why do we talk about important life matters?](https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent#why-do-we-talk-about-important-life-matters) 5. [What we can all do to help a grieving family. Often the simplest acts make the biggest difference to a grieving person.](https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent#what-we-can-all-do-to-help-a-grieving-family-often-the-simplest-acts-make-the-biggest-difference-to-a-grieving-person) 6. [Frequently Asked Questions: Parental Loss & Family Support](https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent#frequently-asked-questions-parental-loss-family-support) 1. [How long does it take for a family to recover from the loss of a parent?](https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent#how-long-does-it-take-for-a-family-to-recover-from-the-loss-of-a-parent) 2. [What is the 'Support Cliff' in bereavement?](https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent#what-is-the-support-cliff-in-bereavement) 3. [How do children experience grief differently than adults?](https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent#how-do-children-experience-grief-differently-than-adults) 4. [Why is a 'Sovereign' backup plan necessary for young parents?](https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent#why-is-a-sovereign-backup-plan-necessary-for-young-parents) ### The #1 mistake adults make with a grieving child Nobody makes their best decisions during the worst emotional time in their lives - and this applies equally to the children in our lives. > The biggest mistake we see is when people attribute adult coping skills and understanding to children. ### Download our free resource for families Against this backdrop weā€™ve produced a free downloadable resource, looking at how the youngest Australians, our children, deal with the unexpected loss of a parent. We review the long-term effects of such a loss occurring during their developmental years and we look at how their families can better learn to understand their child's grief. ### The statistical reality in Australia The sad reality is every day 31 Australian families lose a parent to an unexpected death. That equates to; - 217 every week, or - 11,315 unexpected deaths every year. ### Why do we talk about important life matters? We acknowledge, talking about the possible unexpected death of a parent is often a difficult thing to discuss. But only by breaking taboo barriers and having the important conversations about planning for the unexpected, can Australian parents can have greater certainty about the future security of their family. - The good news is there are positive steps we can all take to be prepared for the unexpected. Having a written backup plan in place, just in case, can help safeguard the best outcome for our childrenā€™s social, educational, psychological and financial stability should the unexpected occur. But you canā€™t make an effective backup plan until you know what to expect. ### What we can all do to help a grieving family. Often the simplest acts make the biggest difference to a grieving person. - Reach out in person or over the phone. While social media might make sharing condolences easier, it's clear a ā€˜one-off messageā€™ is not enough. Interestingly only 26% of respondents who lost a parent said they used social media to connect with other grieving individuals. - Be deliberate to send a more personal message of support. - Share brief remembered stories of their loved ones. - Try and remember important dates like birthdays and the anniversary of the passing - Continue to spend casual time with them, and - Continue to ask how theyā€™re doing and how theyā€™re feeling. --- ### Frequently Asked Questions: Parental Loss & Family Support #### How long does it take for a family to recover from the loss of a parent? While there is no "formula" for grief, surveys of bereaved Gen X and Millennials suggest it takes an average of **six years** to begin moving forward with a sense of happiness. However, the impact of losing a parent during childhood is often a lifelong journey of "re-grieving" as the child reaches different developmental milestones. #### What is the 'Support Cliff' in bereavement? The **Support Cliff** describes the sharp decline in help from friends and the community. While support is high in the first week, it often drops by 50% within a month and almost entirely disappears by month three. For the grieving family, this creates a secondary trauma of isolation just as the shock wears off and the reality of their loss sets in. #### How do children experience grief differently than adults? Children are often described as **"puddle jumpers."** They may be crying inconsolably one minute and asking to play outside the next. Adults frequently misinterpret this as the child being "fine," when in reality, children lack the emotional stamina to stay in deep grief for long periods. Their grief is "revisited" as they grow and understand the loss in more complex ways. #### Why is a 'Sovereign' backup plan necessary for young parents? Grief impairs executive function. Expecting a surviving parent to make perfect decisions about schooling, housing, and investments in the wake of a tragedy is unrealistic. A **Written Backup Plan**ā€”covering Life Insurance, Wills, and Guardianshipā€”acts as a "love letter from the past," providing the structure and security the family needs when they are least able to build it themselves. *Disclaimer: Grief is a highly individual experience. These insights are based on 2026 bereavement research and are intended to foster understanding and planning. For support, contact **GriefLine** or **Feel the Magic**. For a strategic family protection review, we recommend a [confidential consultation](https://sapience.com.au/contact).* **Do we sound like the type of people you'd like to do business with?** Call us today on 1300 137 403 or email us [here](https://sapience.com.au/index.php?Itemid=704) for a no-obligation private chat about your situation. --- ![author pic drew browne](https://sapience.com.au/images/author-pic/contact-drew-browne-advisor-sapience-financial.jpg)**Drew Browne** is a specialty Financial Risk Advisor working with Small Business Owners & their Families, Dual Income Professional Couples, and diverse families. He's an award-winning writer, speaker, financial adviser and business strategy mentor. His business Sapience Financial Group is committed to using business solutions for good in the community. In 2015 he was certified as a B Corp., and in 2017 was recognised in the inaugural Australian National Businesses of Tomorrow Awards. Today he advises Small Business Owners and their families, on how to protect themselves, from their businesses. He writes for successful Small Business Owners and Industry publications. You can read his Modern Small Business Leadership Blog [here](https://sapience.com.au/index.php?Itemid=1267). You can connect with him on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewbrowne/). Any information provided is general advice only and we have not considered your personal circumstances. Before making any decision on the basis of this advice you should consider if the advice is appropriate for you based on your particular circumstance. ![Written by Human Not made by AI sapience financial ](https://sapience.com.au/images/icons/not-made-by-AI-sapience-financial-black.png) ## Schema ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BlogPosting", "@id": "https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent#blogposting", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://sapience.com.au/blog/when-young-families-lose-a-parent" }, "headline": "When Young Families Lose a Parent: The Long-Term Reality of Grief", "description": "Every day, 31 Australian families lose a parent unexpectedly. Explore the lifelong impact of childhood bereavement and how to build a social and financial backup plan.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Drew Browne", "jobTitle": "Thought Provocateur", "url": "https://sapience.com.au/about-us/drew-browne" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Sapience Financial", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sapience.com.au/images/brand-logo/sapience-financial-h-logo.svg" } }, "datePublished": "2026-04-27", "dateModified": "2026-04-27" }, { "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How many children lose a parent in Australia each year?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Statistically, 31 Australian families lose a parent every day. 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