Bereavement and Loss
Helping children through bereavement requires sensitivity, patience, and reassurance. Children often experience grief differently from adults, and their emotions may surface in waves of sadness, confusion, or even anger. They may also appear to be able to ‘switch off’ their grief and behave as if nothing as happened. All these things are very normal.
It’s important to create a safe space where they feel comfortable expressing their feelings without judgment. Using age-appropriate language to explain what has happened can help them make sense of the loss, while maintaining routines provides a sense of stability during an uncertain time.
The charity, Winson’s Wish, has an excellent range of resources for helping children and young people when someone they love dies. We have included these on this page.
Children can experience grief for many reasons beyond the death of a loved one. Losses such as moving house or school, re-homing a pet, or changes in family structure due to parental separation, can all trigger feelings of sadness. Recognising these experiences as significant will help you to provide the right emotional support.
Other useful resources