Bereavement

What is bereavement and how can it impact us? 

Bereavement is experiencing the death of someone important to us. It is characterised by grief, which is the process and the range of emotions we go through when we experience a death. Grief can bring up lots of different, complicated emotions, and can sometimes affect our physical health. Bereavement affects everyone in different ways, and it's possible to experience any range of emotions. There's no right or wrong way to feel. 

Bereavement can also include anticipatory grief which is a sense of loss that we may feel when we're expecting the death of someone we care about.  

Mind provides further information about bereavement. 

Why is it important for schools and settings to be aware of the impact of bereavement? 

Bereavement awareness in schools is crucial for several reasons: 

1. Supporting children and young people: Schools can provide vital support for bereaved children and young people and their families. They can help individuals cope with death and grief, which is a very personal and unique experience. 
2. Understanding of Death: Children's understanding of death develops with age. Schools can help children and young people gradually understand that death is permanent and irreversible in an age-appropriate way.  
3. Preparation for Future Bereavements: Schools can prepare children and young people for their future experiences of bereavement. This preparation can help dispel myths and taboos about death and grief. 
4. Peer Support: Good education about bereavement can help children and young people know how to support their peers who are going through this. 
5. Staff Understanding and Skills: Developing staff understanding, skills, and confidence in dealing with children and young people's grief is also important. This can enhance the support system within the school for bereaved individuals. 

In summary, bereavement awareness in schools is essential in providing the necessary support to children and young people during a difficult time, helping them understand and cope with their feelings, and fostering a supportive and understanding environment. 

What support is available? 

National 

Childhood Bereavement Network: This organisation supports schools and settings through bereavement with key resources including the Growing in Grief Awareness toolkit.  

Child Bereavement UK: They provide helpful information about supporting bereaved children and young people. They also offer a free guide for schools that provides guidance, support, and information when a death occurs in the school community. 

Winston's Wish: Winston's Wish offers support for schools working with grieving children and young people. They provide direct bereavement information and support to young people and help teachers and other school professionals to provide the best support possible. 

Sudden: Sudden provides a free template for a Bereavement Policy for Schools. This policy aims to help schools support the emotional and physical wellbeing of suddenly bereaved children and young people and their families, from the early days of an unexpected bereavement onward. 

PSHE Association: PSHE Association provide lesson plans on change, loss and grief for each key stage to ensure this topic is addressed sensitively and age-appropriately. 

Anna Freud: Anna Freud provide ideas and support on how to deal with a bereavement. 

Norfolk 

Nelson's Journey: Nelson's Journey offer a range of support to schools in Norfolk. They have launched a scheme called 'School Friend of Nelson's Journey' to raise awareness of childhood bereavement in local classrooms and highlight the bereavement support in Norfolk schools. In addition, Nelson's Journey offers limited FREE 1-hour Child Bereavement Awareness Training online to professionals working with children and young people in Norfolk.  

Senior Mental Health Lead training: Appoint a member of the senior leadership team as a senior mental health lead to co-ordinate a whole school / setting approach to mental health and wellbeing. This person can attend Senior Lead Mental Health Training for which the DfE can provide funding.  

Toolkit: Norfolk County Council are developing a toolkit for schools and settings focused on bereavement. The aim of the toolkit is to provide guidance around a whole school or setting approach to emotional wellbeing as well as providing guidance on how to respond when a child or young person experiences a bereavement. 

Staff wellbeing  

Supporting children and young people who are in emotional distress can be physically and mentally draining for staff; this needs to be recognised and appropriate support put in place, both in terms of training and supportive listening.   

• You can access wellbeing support from a team of specialists as well as 24/7 phone support and self-help workbooks through Norfolk Support Line.  
• Norfolk Wellbeing Service offer a range of wellbeing support offered to adults in Norfolk and Suffolk. This includes self-referral, self-help, social support. workshops, wellbeing podcasts and blogs.  
• Qwell offer free, safe, and anonymous mental wellbeing support for adults. This includes professional support, community support and professional development tools.   

Key contacts  

Nelson's Journey - For more information or to apply to become a School Friend of Nelson's Journey, you can contact them via email at schools@nelsonsjourney.org.uk.  

Senior Mental Health Lead training - For more details of the programme in Norfolk please contact cs.epss@norfolk.gov.uk.