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Bereavement

 

On average, 1 in every 29 children will be bereaved of a parent — the equivalent of one in every class — and many more children will experience the death of another family member or friend. These lesson plans provide the opportunity to take a sensitive approach to learning about bereavement in the classroom. They will support children and young people to develop the skills and understanding they need to deal with this particular life event.

Comprising two lessons for each key stage, these resources are designed to help pupils and students explore bereavement and grief in developmentally appropriate ways. They are not intended as a pastoral intervention in the event of a bereavement in the school community, as at that point the priority is for pastoral care rather than preventative education.

The lessons are not suitable for home learning, but can be used with pupils who are physically in school now, or planned into your programme to deliver face-to-face later in the year.

At key stages 1 and 2, pupils will:

  • Learn about different types of loss, change and bereavement
  • Explore some strategies for managing feelings associated with bereavement
  • Develop their awareness of how to seek support with feelings

At key stages 3 and 4, students will:

  • Learn about managing emotions associated with grief
  • Explore how to support others experiencing grief and loss
  • Develop an awareness of how loss, grief and bereavement can impact young people

The free resource packs include a teacher guidance document along with a lesson plan and PowerPoint for each lesson.

Visit Winston’s Wish to download the free materials

 

Bereavement support for military families

We provide support for bereaved children, young people and their families with a military connection.

When a child or young person is bereaved in a family with a military connection, they may need additional support above and beyond their family, friends and military networks. Whether that death occurred while on active service or as a result of an accident, illness, suicide or murder while home on leave, it is devastating for a child or young person. Below is some information and guidance on how to support and talk to children about a death and coping with grief and what support Winston’s Wish can offer bereaved military families.

How to get bereavement support

Thanks to funding from Help For Heroes, Winston’s Wish has supported many military families after a death. Our experienced Helpline team can offer advice, guidance and support to bereaved military families. Contact us by:

Explaining a death in service to children

There is no set way to tell a child something as difficult as the fact that someone they know has died, but our team offers some guidance on finding the right words to explain to a child in an age-appropriate way.

READ MORE

Ways to remember someone who has died

As well as anniversaries and birthdays, there are public days, like Remembrance Sunday, when military families might want to remember the person who has died. Here are some suggestions for activities.

READ MORE

The Family Has Been Informed

Our specialist book offers practical guidance for military families after someone has died. It includes activities and resources to help parents, carers and professionals in the immediate days and weeks following a bereavement.

READ MORE

 

Advice and resources from our team

 

 

Bereavement Guidance for schools from GSCE  including a template policy

https://www.gscb.org.uk/media/2098935/bereavement_guidance-template-20200617.doc

 

 

 

The following documents have all been developed by the Educational Psychology Service:

 

 

 

download the full document here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guidance  for Primary and Secondary  Schools - Coping with a sudden and upsetting event  

Download the full leaflet here for primary                                           

Download the full leaflet here for secondary 

 

Coping with a traumatic event - Guidance for Primary School Staff

down load the full document here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coping with a traumatic event - Guidance for Secondary School staff

 download the full document here

 

 

 download the full document here

 

 

Traumatic Bereavement

 

Free, evidence-based resources to support schools, colleges and practitioners working with traumatically bereaved children and young people.

Traumatically bereaved children and young people experience significant distress and difficulties, over and above a more typical grief. Traumatic bereavement can be easily missed or misunderstood by parents, teachers and even bereavement practitioners, meaning that children’s difficulties are not recognised.

These resources will give school staff and practitioners the knowledge and tools they need to identify, help and support children and young people experiencing a traumatic bereavement.

Link to resources

 

 

 

 

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