Disenfranchised grief is a term that relates to a sense of loss – usually, although not exclusively, a bereavement – that goes unnoticed or that is not sufficiently well acknowledged by wider society. An example of this may be the nascent grieving emotions of a toddler who might have lost a parent, a grandparent or a sibling. In these situations, it has often been regarded as something that children beneath a given age will not be able to understand or cope with emotionally. Although such a view may be partially correct, if they are not invited into the grieving process, then they can be disenfranchised from it altogether, leading to later psychological problems as they develop. Another form of disenfranchisement from the grieving process might come about when a pet dies. The sense of loss can be very great, but sometimes people do not allow themselves to view their emotions as grief simply because they relate to an animal.