Ambiguous loss, or ambiguous grief, refers to the loss that is felt without resolution or closure. The term was first coined in psychological research by Pauline Boss in 1977, but has been written about decades earlier by poets. Since then, ambiguous loss has expanded from its original meaning regarding grief from war to a spectrum of contexts in which grief is felt without closure (Boss & Yeats, 2014).
This 2-part series explores what grief can look like for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, primary school children, older children and teenagers. We also offer clear, age-appropriate ideas to help you support them.
