Bereavement during Covid-19
Many children and young people will have experienced during the past few years, and this will bring some unique issues, but some general advice remains. Please do have a look at the other sections about supporting bereaved children.
- Use simple, direct language appropriate to their level of understanding
- Use the terms ‘died’, ‘dead’, and ‘death’ – euphemisms such as ‘we’ve lost Grandpa’ or ‘Grandma has gone to another place’ are confusing. Children are helped to understand by hearing the language that fits this new experience
- Keep children informed about what has happened and what will happen (e.g. about the funeral)
- Check how much they have understood
- Answer questions openly. If you don’t know an answer, say you will find out and come back to them. If you feel the answer is too difficult for them to hear, explain that honestly
- Repeat explanations more than once
- Reassure them that they are not to blame
- Allow and encourage the safe sharing of feelings and thoughts
- Listen to their feelings, worries, memories.
Please have a look on the Winston’s Wish website for further information: https://www.winstonswish.org/telling-a-child-someone-died-from-coronavirus/
Supporting children return to school following Covid-19
More information to follow here, in the meantime, please do refer to our sample bereavement policy and general information on supporting children returning back to school: https://www.norfolkepss.org.uk/information/supporting-bereaved-children-creating-bereavement-friendly-school/(please log in for the policy)
Supporting yourself and others during Covid-19
The death of a loved one is one of the most difficult emotional experiences that we can have in life. The pain and grief that follows can seem, at times, totally overwhelming.
Please click here for further information from the British Psychological Society.
