Helping Children Cope With The Loss Of A Loved One
“Talking about death can be difficult, and some people find it especially hard to approach the subject with children. However, if we do not say anything then there is a chance that children will fill the blanks in for themselves and they might come to some unexpected conclusions.” – Dr Sarah Jones, Funeral Director at Full Circle Funerals
Whether it is the loss of a grandparent, a parent, a sibling, a friend, or a family pet, the grieving process for a child can be tough and the support they need can vary from child to child. Young children may not understand the concept of death, they may worry that they have done something to cause the death, or they might not seem too concerned about it. As a parent or caregiver it is important to understand that every reaction is valid in its own way, and that grief does not present in a single form.
This year poses its own challenges regarding grief. With a worldwide pandemic going on, it is possible that some young children will not have seen their grandparents for a long time. In itself this causes frustrations they can’t quite understand or express. If a grandparent was to then suddenly pass, this can be particularly challenging to comprehend and the child may present feelings of anger towards the person who has died. It is important to remember that whilst you might not express grief in this way, it is not wrong for the child to do so.
In support of this year’s National Grief Awareness Week and in partnership with Dr Sarah Jones of Full Circle Funerals, we’re sharing some brilliant resources for parents and children to use to help have the difficult conversations about death.
Bereavement Books for Younger Children
Lockdown restrictions and isolation have profoundly affected the grieving process for everyone; the bereaved may not have been able to reach out to friends and family for physical human connection however, distance should not prevent us from reaching out to others and sharing our grief wherever and whenever we can.
This National Grief Awareness Week, #ShareYourStory. Your story could become someone’s hope.
If you would like to find out more or access our services, please visit promedica24.co.uk to use our online chat service. You can also get in touch with our team on 0800 086 8686 or by sending an email to care@promedica24.co.uk. If you’d like to assess your care and support needs rapidly online, we have a tool available for you to do this.
More from our blog
Loneliness Isn’t a ‘Normal’ Part of Christmas
Combatting loneliness is a topic we’re passionate about at Promedica24. It’s something we highlight and address all year round, but it comes into particularly sharp focus during the festive season, as this film from The Silver Line illustrates. Although Christmas is traditionally seen as a time when families come together, Age UK reported in 2017 […]
Read More
Know Your Human Rights
In her latest blog for us, Beth Britton celebrates Human Rights Day and challenges us all to uphold our rights as a beacon of fairness. “Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home — so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the […]
Read More
Our Mission to Ease Loneliness This Christmas
Live-in care provider calls for joint action to bring hope and ease the feeling of loneliness during this festive season Promedica24, Europe’s largest provider of care at home, launched its winter campaign to prevent and manage the issue of loneliness amongst vulnerable people. The company is encouraging people to speak up about their experience […]
Read More