About the event

Join us for a special day of fun and connection with other families in the Very Special Kids community!

Bring the whole family and enjoy a relaxed day together with a BBQ lunch, refreshments, roving entertainment, Santa photos, family portraits, and more!

This year we will also be offering some special tours of our hospice, hosted by the Very Special Kids Advisors. This event is all about celebrating the wonderful community we’ve built at Very Special Kids and creating joyful memories together.

Please RSVP here by Friday 13 November.
For more information please contact Jenn (jgavito@vsk.org.au/0487 523 666) or Chanelle (cburns@vsk.org.au/0408 910 878).

NOTE – this is a private event, provided at no cost to children and families supported by Very Special Kids

About the event

We invite our bereaved community to join us for our ‘Walk to Remember’. This event, taking place in Malvern, will be an opportunity for us to come together to remember your children.

We welcome all bereaved families (including extended family) to join us, so we can acknowledge, celebrate and honour the memory of your children.

The walk will begin at the beautiful Malvern Gardens (Ascot Street entrance) and end with a delicious afternoon tea at Very Special Kids.

Event Schedule:

1pm – Registration opens at Malvern Gardens
1.30pm – Walk begins
4pm – Afternoon concludes at Very Special Kids

We encourage you to bring a photo, memento, wear a special colour or item of clothing in honour of your child/ren.

We invite you to contribute to our digital photo reflection. Whether you are attending or not you can contribute a photo of your child. Please send a single high-resolution photo to dmor@vsk.org.au before Friday 9 October.

Please RSVP by Friday 9 October.

About the event

Bereaved parents are invited to attend regular scrapbooking sessions.

Creating Memories is a safe and informal space for parents to spend time with others in a similar situation. Scrapbooking is a unique way to preserve and enhance your valuable keepsakes, whether they are photos or memorabilia. Please bring your special photos and we will provide the tools and materials to create your pages.

A light lunch is provided, and we can provide childminding by one of our volunteers, providing you let us know in advance.

Please register here. For more information, please contact Anna on aphipps@vsk.org.au or 0428 989 122.

NOTE – this is a private event, provided at no cost to families supported by Very Special Kids

About the event

At Very Special Kids, we know that when a child dies, grief is felt across generations.

Grandparents often carry their own deep sense of loss while also supporting their adult children and the wider family.

The Bereaved Grandparent Support Group offers grandparents a chance to come together in an informal, supportive setting to share experiences and connect with others who understand.

As one grandparent reflected, “When a child dies, we have to survive first and then grieve. Sometimes we don’t look after ourselves in the best ways. It’s a shock reaction.”

Facilitated by Red Nose Bereavement Support Worker Anne Altamore and Very Special Kids Family Support Practitioner Anna Phipps, the in-person group provides a safe space for grandparents to acknowledge their own grief, feel supported, and move forward at their own pace.

We invite parents and carers to extend this opportunity with their own parents or grandparents.

This program is delivered in partnership with Red Nose. Participants may include bereaved grandparents who do not have a direct connection to Very Special Kids. To register your interest please visit Red Nose’s registration link here and follow the prompts. If you have any questions, please contact Anna on aphipps@vsk.org.au or 0428 989 122.

Please note: This registration link is used for a range of Red Nose programs. Please ensure you select your state of residence as ‘VIC’ and scroll to the “In person” group to select the “Melbourne Grandparents Support Group” program.

About the event

At Very Special Kids, we know that when a child dies, grief is felt across generations.

Grandparents often carry their own deep sense of loss while also supporting their adult children and the wider family.

The Bereaved Grandparent Support Group offers grandparents a chance to come together in an informal, supportive setting to share experiences and connect with others who understand.

As one grandparent reflected, “When a child dies, we have to survive first and then grieve. Sometimes we don’t look after ourselves in the best ways. It’s a shock reaction.”

Facilitated by Red Nose Bereavement Support Worker Anne Altamore and Very Special Kids Family Support Practitioner Anna Phipps, the in-person group provides a safe space for grandparents to acknowledge their own grief, feel supported, and move forward at their own pace.

We invite parents and carers to extend this opportunity with their own parents or grandparents.

The group meets the third Wednesday of each month. The final session for 2026 will be held on Wednesday 18 November.

This program is delivered in partnership with Red Nose. Participants may include bereaved grandparents who do not have a direct connection to Very Special Kids. To register your interest please visit Red Nose’s registration link here and follow the prompts. If you have any questions, please contact Anna on aphipps@vsk.org.au or 0428 989 122.

Please note: This registration link is used for a range of Red Nose programs. Please ensure you select your state of residence as ‘VIC’ and scroll to the “In person” group to select the “Melbourne Grandparents Support Group” program.

About the event

At Very Special Kids, we know that when a child dies, grief is felt across generations.

Grandparents often carry their own deep sense of loss while also supporting their adult children and the wider family.

The Bereaved Grandparent Support Group offers grandparents a chance to come together in an informal, supportive setting to share experiences and connect with others who understand.

As one grandparent reflected, “When a child dies, we have to survive first and then grieve. Sometimes we don’t look after ourselves in the best ways. It’s a shock reaction.”

Facilitated by Red Nose Bereavement Support Worker Anne Altamore and Very Special Kids Family Support Practitioner Anna Phipps, the in-person group provides a safe space for grandparents to acknowledge their own grief, feel supported, and move forward at their own pace.

We invite parents and carers to extend this opportunity with their own parents or grandparents.

The group meets the third Wednesday of each month. Upcoming dates include:

• 21 October
• 18 November

This program is delivered in partnership with Red Nose. Participants may include bereaved grandparents who do not have a direct connection to Very Special Kids. To register your interest please visit Red Nose’s registration link here and follow the prompts. If you have any questions, please contact Anna on aphipps@vsk.org.au or 0428 989 122.

Please note: This registration link is used for a range of Red Nose programs. Please ensure you select your state of residence as ‘VIC’ and scroll to the “In person” group to select the “Melbourne Grandparents Support Group” program.

About the event

Bereaved parents are invited to attend regular scrapbooking sessions.

Creating Memories is a safe and informal space for parents to spend time with others in a similar situation. Scrapbooking is a unique way to preserve and enhance your valuable keepsakes, whether they are photos or memorabilia. Please bring your special photos and we will provide the tools and materials to create your pages.

A light lunch is provided, and we can provide childminding by one of our volunteers, providing you let us know in advance. The final Creating Memories session for 2026 will be held on Thursday 3 December.

Please register here. For more information, please contact Anna on aphipps@vsk.org.au or 0428 989 122.

NOTE – this is a private event, provided at no cost to families supported by Very Special Kids

About the event

The bereaved parent support group is an opportunity for parents in the Hume region, to come together and reflect on your own grief with other parents and support one another. Join us at Country Hope for a cuppa and gentle conversation.

Please RSVP by Wednesday 14 October to Jenni (shepparton@vsk.org.au/0408 583 378) or Karen (ksutherland@vsk.org.au/0439 225 450).

NOTE – this is a private event, provided at no cost to families supported by Very Special Kids

About the event

Join us for a very special day of lawn bowls and family fun!

Pakenham Bowls Club have been fantastic supporters of Very Special Kids for many years and have generously offered Very Special Kids families the chance to enjoy a day of lawn bowls at their beautiful club.

Families are welcome to try their hand at lawn bowls, participate in a ‘Drum and Fun’ incursion, play games or just watch the amazing skills displayed by members of the club. We also hope to offer families some face painting fun too!

Free onsite parking is available. For more information and to register your attendance please contact Karen at Pakenham Bowls Club at karenoosthuizen@msn.com by Wednesday 9 September.  Please include the name of your registered child, the number of adults and children attending, as well as any dietary requirements.

Family support practitioner Jodie is also contactable on jvigenser@vsk.org.au or 0419 773 294.

NOTE – this is a private event, provided at no cost to children and families supported by Very Special Kids

About the event

At Very Special Kids, we know that when a child dies, grief is felt across generations.

Grandparents often carry their own deep sense of loss while also supporting their adult children and the wider family.

The Bereaved Grandparent Support Group offers grandparents a chance to come together in an informal, supportive setting to share experiences and connect with others who understand.

As one grandparent reflected, “When a child dies, we have to survive first and then grieve. Sometimes we don’t look after ourselves in the best ways. It’s a shock reaction.”

Facilitated by Red Nose Bereavement Support Worker Anne Altamore and Very Special Kids Family Support Practitioner Anna Phipps, the in-person group provides a safe space for grandparents to acknowledge their own grief, feel supported, and move forward at their own pace.

We invite parents and carers to extend this opportunity with their own parents or grandparents.

The group meets the third Wednesday of each month. Upcoming dates include:

• 16 September
• 21 October
• 18 November

This program is delivered in partnership with Red Nose. Participants may include bereaved grandparents who do not have a direct connection to Very Special Kids. To register your interest please visit Red Nose’s registration link here and follow the prompts. If you have any questions, please contact Anna on aphipps@vsk.org.au or 0428 989 122.

Please note: This registration link is used for a range of Red Nose programs. Please ensure you select your state of residence as ‘VIC’ and scroll to the “In person” group to select the “Melbourne Grandparents Support Group” program.