Benefis Peace Hospice is holding its annual End of Life Conference today and tomorrow.

The event will kick off with a presentation by award-winning social worker Ben Wolfe on how grief affects children.

Wolfe will give parents, caretakers and health care professionals strategies for helping kids cope during his "Forgotten Mourners" presentation at 7 tonight at the Benefis Sletten Cancer Institute. The event is free.

Grief is often more traumatic for children and, if not addressed, can be emotionally crippling throughout life.

"A lot of times, children are overlooked in the grieving process," said Kelly Keilman, children's bereavement coordinator at Benefis Peace Hospice. "Children's grief often comes out in behaviors. If it's not dealt with, the impacts can affect their schooling and general functioning in life and relationships."

Wolfe, a licensed independent social worker, is the founder and program manager of St. Mary's Grief Support Center in Duluth, Minn. He is certified as a Fellow in Thanatology by the Association for Death Education and Counseling, and provides counseling on life-threatening illness and bereavement for all ages.

The End of Life Conference will continue Thursday at Faith Center-Foursquare Church, with presentations conducted by Wolfe and others and aimed at health care professionals. The conference is approved for continuing education credits through the Montana Nurses Association. Registration for Thursday's sessions is $50.

To register or for more information, contact Benefis Peace Hospice of Montana at 455-3040.