Children’s Grief Awareness Week

News - 15 November 2022

Children’s Grief Awareness Week runs from the 17th - 23rd November 2022. Children’s Grief Awareness Week was initiated by Grief Encounter and the Childhood Bereavement Network in 2015, as a way to recognise and raise awareness of the bereavement experiences of children and young people.

Text in rainbow colours which reads 'children’s grief awareness week’ 17th to 23rd November 2022

Children’s Grief Awareness Week is a chance for the United Kingdom to be more mindful and aware of the impact bereavement can have on children and young people.

Children and young people experience the same sorts of feelings as adults when someone dies. But they may express them differently. It is important they have someone to talk to and ways to help them cope available. 

A recent report from the independent UK Commission on Bereavement, ‘Bereavement is Everyone’s Business’ highlights precisely why  support is so vital for families. Many bereaved children and young people who responded to the Commission valued the structured support that bereavement services can offer. Children and young people appreciated feeling understood, being able to talk to someone who ‘got it’, getting help managing their thoughts and feelings, remembering the person who had died, and building their confidence.

Support available for bereaved children

Child Bereavement UK provide confidential support, information and guidance to individuals, families and professionals throughout the UK. The support team is available to respond to calls, Live Chat and email 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday, except Bank Holidays. Call: 0800 02 888 40 or visit: Child Bereavement UK Helpline Local support from this service is available. 

Hope Again is the youth website of Cruse Bereavement Support. It is a safe place where you can learn from other young people, how to cope with grief, and feel less alone. Visit: Hope Again

NHS Bereavement information Bereavement and young people - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Halton Mental Health Support Information Point offers links to mental health information and support services for parents and young people. Visit: How can I seek & get help for a mental health problem? (halton.gov.uk) 

Children's Grief Awareness Week webinar mini-series

The Childhood Bereavement Network will be delivering a short webinar mini-series during Children's Grief Awareness Week.They are free and open to anyone with an interest in supporting children and young people. Find out more at: Children's Grief Awareness Week webinar mini-series (childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk)

You might also be interested in

'I've got a super body. NHS Cheshire and Merseyside. A child dressed as a super hero.

Supporting your children’s ‘super bodies’ this winter

As children return to schools and nurseries after the autumn half term, the NHS in Cheshire and Merseyside are sharing guidance for parents and carers on common winter illnesses that often start circulating at this time of year.
News
A young child dressed as a super hero, shouting ‘I’ve got a super body’. Text reads: Cough? Sore throat? Ear Ache? Find out when to stay at home and when to get help

Super Bodies – what to do when your child has a common illness

Illnesses like coughs, sore throats and ear ache are extremely common in young children, but did you know… our children’s ‘super bodies’ are designed to fight off many common illnesses, without the need for antibiotics?
Advice and Information
Promotional poster for vision impairment awareness. The left side reads, 'DON’T TURN A BLIND EYE TO SIGHT LOSS... GET YOUR EYES TESTED REGULARLY.' The right side shows a stylized eye chart with bold letters reducing in size spelling out 'DO YOU FIND IT HARD TO READ SMALL PRINT?' Below the chart is the logo and contact details for the Halton Borough Council Vision Impairment Rehabilitation Service. 0151 907 8306

Make eye exams part of the back-to-school checklist.

Vision problems often go undiagnosed. But many children won’t tell you something is wrong because they don’t know they have a problem. They don’t have anything to compare it to, they think everybody sees like they do.
News