Improve support for children affected by traumatic bereavement, urge experts
Joe Lepper
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Children's professionals must have a better understanding of the impact of traumatic bereavement on young people amid the Covid-19 pandemic, experts have said.
They say a large number of children are among those affected by the more than 120,000 death toll in the UK due to the health crisis.
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A greater understanding among health and education professionals of issues associated with traumatic bereavement is needed, says the group of experts.
This includes understanding the impact of unexpected death, not being able to say goodbye due to hospital ward quarantines and family members feeling guilt around transmission of the virus.
The call has been made by childhood trauma expert group UK Trauma Council (UKTC) along with three bereavement charities: Child Bereavement UK, Winston’s Wish and the Childhood Bereavement Network.
They say that traumatic bereavement “gets in the way of the typical process of grieving” and is a barrier to helping children understand death and adjust to loss.
“Traumatically bereaved children and young people experience significant distress and difficulties, over and above a more typical grief,” said UKTC co-director David Trickey.
“Traumatic bereavement may be easily missed or misunderstood, meaning that children’s difficulties are not recognised by even the most supportive adults including parents, teachers and bereavement practitioners.
"It is vital that these children are identified and given the appropriate help and support.”
To support school staff, bereavement services and mental health professionals the UKTC and its charity partners are launching a set of free resources on traumatic bereavement.
This has been funded through the government’s Coronavirus Community Support Fund and includes advice on providing appropriate support and how to refer to specialist services.
“Young people often grieve in puddles, dipping in and out of their grief," added Trickey.
“But if the grief becomes traumatic, it is more like a deep well, and much harder for the young person to step out of. These resources should help identify traumatic bereavement, provide effective support, and allow trusted adults to hold the hope for the child or young person.”
Meanwhile, an initiative has been launched to support children of armed forces personnel impacted by bereavement.
We're so excited to announce that we've teamed up with @CorporalScotty to provide their members with access to character education to help build key skills. Scotty's will also be providing us with child bereavement awareness training.
— Commando Joe's (@CommandoJoes) May 4, 2021
Read more here: https://t.co/7KdV11dGPX pic.twitter.com/59TwFbqvJq
This has been launched by the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers and military organisation Commando Joe’s, which works in schools. It will see bereaved children offered support through online games to develop their skills and improve resilience.
Also being planned through the partnership are confidence building residential trips for young people affected by bereavement.