Bereavement may be life’s most difficult experience. Those who lose someone due to COVID-19, or for other reasons, may suffer more intense emotional pain while cut off from the people they love, trust and usually rely on for support.
These resources may help you, or someone you know, to cope more successfully or find help and support during this difficult period.
Jigsaw4u has published guides suitable for any grieving child or young person. Jigsaw4u also provide emotional support to people in Merton and Sutton boroughs.
Supporting a child or young person
Jigsaw4u has produced a guide to help any parent or carer support a child or young person suffering with grief. Jigsaw4u also provides emotional support to people in Merton and Sutton boroughs.
Cruse Bereavement Care has published a guide suitable for any parent or carer looking after a grieving child. Cruse has local branches in Croydon, Richmond and Sutton.
Winston’s Wish has published a guide to help parents and carers tell a child that someone has died from coronavirus.
Child Bereavement UK has published videos about supporting bereaved children and what to do when you can’t visit someone who is unwell.
Telling a child that someone is ill
Winston’s Wish has published a guide to help parents and carers tell a child that someone has a serious illness.
Coping with grief while isolated
Winston’s Wish has published advice for anyone coming to terms with grief while isolated from friends and loved ones.
Help with funerals
Winston’s Wish has published a useful guide for parents and carers, including alternative ways to say goodbye when funerals may be restricted.
Quaker Social Action has published a useful guide for people struggling to organise a meaningful funeral – Down to Earth.
How to support grieving pupils
Winston’s Wish has published advice for teachers to help them support bereaved pupils.
Cruse Bereavement Care has published advice for teaching staff to help them support grieving children. Cruse has local branches in Croydon, Richmond and Sutton.
Jigsaw4u has published a guide to help teaching staff support a child or young person suffering with grief. Jigsaw4u also provides emotional support to people in Merton and Sutton boroughs.
Visit nhs.uk for more information and advice about coping with bereavement and loss.
Teachers, parents and carers may be interested in our archive of emotional wellbeing webinars, which contain practical advice and support from local organisations.
In South West London, there are many other organisations offering support to bereaved children, young people and their families. Visit:
- At a Loss – helping any bereaved person find the support they need.
- Candle Child Bereavement Service – support for children and young people in Croydon.
- Childhood Bereavement Network – a hub for anyone supporting bereaved children.
- Compassionate Friends – a range of support for bereaved families.
- Croydon Drop In – free support and counselling for 11-25 year olds in Croydon.
- Grassroots Suicide Prevention – helping people support someone at risk of suicide.
- Grief Encounter – support for bereaved children and families.
- Hope Again – a website for young people about how to cope with grief.
- Kingston Bereavement Service – support and counselling for anyone in Kingston.
- Kooth – confidential online counselling and support for any young person in South West London. Help us raise awareness of Kooth with our multi-media toolkit
- Listening Ear – bereavement counselling for anyone in the Croydon area.
- Off the Record – free support, counselling and online workshops for 11-25 year olds in Croydon, Merton and Sutton.
- Raynes Park Bereavement Service – face to face support from volunteers, mainly for anyone in the Raynes Park area.
- Saying Goodbye – bereavement service for children living or studying in Kingston or Richmond.
- Surrey Suicide Bereavement Service – practical local support and advice for families bereaved by suicide in Sutton and Merton.
- Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide – for anyone over 18 who has been bereaved by suicide.
- Wandsworth Bereavement Service – one-to-one bereavement counselling for anyone in the Wandsworth area.
- Woodside Bereavement Service – Croydon