CYP Now - Campaigner calls for childhood bereavement register to improve support

Writer and grief campaigner Mark Lemon is urging the government to record the number of bereaved children across the country, saying it is “vital” to improving the identification of those in need of support.

'We don't know the true scope of childhood bereavement,' Lemon says. Picture: Mark Lemon

Lemon, who is also an ambassador for children’s bereavement charity Winston’s Wish, told CYP Now that recording the number of children in a household after a death is registered would help identify children in need of immediate grief support, drawing on his own experience of childhood bereavement.

“When I was 12 years old, my father was tragically murdered. Back then, there were hardly any children’s bereavement charities, and the access and support I received was minimal.

“I was left to navigate it and figure it out on my own. It's a daily struggle for lots of people who are navigating grief, no matter what age you are. But particularly when you're starting out on the road in life, it essentially knocks you off your path,” he said.

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