Traumatic bereavement resources

The UK Trauma Council, hosted and supported by Anna Freud, has launched its free traumatic bereavement resources for schools and FE colleges as well as it’s traumatic bereavement training for education professionals. Traumatic bereavement may be easily missed or misunderstood, meaning that children’s difficulties are not recognised by even the most supportive adults. It is vital that these children are identified and given the appropriate help and support.

Traumatic bereavement

The way that a child or young person experiences or understands death, the meaning they make of it, can result in it being experienced as traumatic.

The trauma gets in the way of the typical process of grief and blocks the child or young person's ability to process the loss.

This can result in difficulties that can be severe and long lasting. Traumatic bereavement may be easily missed or misunderstood, meaning that children’s difficulties are not recognised. It is vital that these children are identified and given appropriate help and support. 

The global pandemic resulted in more than 200,000 deaths in the UK. Many of these will have been sudden and unexpected. Children and young people may not have been able to visit people who were ill in hospital and may not have had a chance to say goodbye.

This, combined with restrictions on normal grieving rituals such as funerals, and less social support, means that there is likely to be many more traumatically bereaved children and young people.

Resources

These new evidence-based resources will give staff in schools and FE colleges the knowledge to recognise traumatic bereavement, advice on how to put appropriate support in place, and guidance on working effectively with bereavement services and NHS mental health services.

The resources feature a short introductory animation and a comprehensive written guide with supporting tools and videos. The resources also available in Welsh.