2025 Annual Lecture

17th September, 2025, 2:15-3:15pm @ Sofitel Sydney Wentworth

This year’s annual lecture will be co-hosted with the Australasian Cemeteries and Crematoria Association, as part of their annual conference.

Imagining A World That Recognises, Validates, and Supports Young People’s Grief

Children and young people experience loss and grief more often than most people realise. Much more is known about grief experiences and interventions designed for adults than for younger age groups. It is no wonder that supporting grieving young people is a public health challenge. This presentation will focus on studies and initiatives that privilege the voices and perspectives of grieving children, teenagers, and young people. Hearing young people and co-designing studies with them helps to understand that they want structured ways to learn about grief, including how to talk about it, ways to get support, how to help a grieving peer, and how to feel less isolated and alone. These findings are important to create a world that recognises, validates, and supports young people’s grief.

Professor Lauren Breen is a psychologist, researcher, author, TEDx speaker, and a professor of psychology at Curtain University. She works to understand the psychology of grief and loss over the lifespan and the intersections with mental health and wellbeing. Lauren is passionate about creating a connecting, caring, and compassionate society where grief is acknowledged and supported. In harnessing strong partnerships with researchers and industry end-users, Lauren’s research has informed policy and practice locally and around the world. In 2023 and 2024, The Australian listed her as Australia’s research field leader in the category Hospice and Palliative Care.

A number of complimentary in person registrations will be made available to ADSS members. To secure a complimentary registration, and/or for remote access to the lecture, please email hannah.gould@unimelb.edu.au.

For more information about this event, reach out to the organisers Hannah Gould and Kate Falconer at hannah.gould@unimelb.edu.au and kfalconer@ucc.ie.