Could you share Ask Me: Education with your child’s school?

If you are the parent or carer of a bereaved young person, you know how challenging it can be to provide the right support both at home and in their education setting. Sadly, many grieving students report feeling unheard or unsupported during their education. 

In fact, according to a survey of more than 300 bereaved young people aged 8-25, an overwhelming 79% rated the support they received 5 or less out of 10. 

That’s why our Youth Team has launched a new education initiative.  

Until now, bereavement policies have been the default response in education settings, a uniform, standardised approach designed to ensure every grieving student receives the same support.  

But this off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all model can make an already painful experience even harder. Grief is deeply personal, and no two students will navigate it in the same way.   

Ask Me: Education is a promise to bereaved children and young people that they will be met with empathy, asked what support they need and reassurance that they will feel heard.  

Too often, decisions are made for bereaved children and young people without their input. Ask Me: Education is about changing that, giving back a sense of choice and control in a time when both feel lost. 

Although many adults have reported superb support from their children’s education setting, still many others have voiced the frustrations and difficulties of explaining how bereavement impacts their young person in school. 

Monique, whose child was bereaved of their dad, comments:

When someone close to you dies, your first thought is how your children will cope and manage. School should be a safe and positive place for them to be, offering stability and structure when things at home suddenly feel very different. 

We had to deal with individual educators, who all had very different ideas about what to do – one said after the funeral that their dad shouldn’t be mentioned again and another said if my son wanted to mention his dad they would have to get permission from other parents.  

There were many times teachers got it right and others when they got it very wrong – even well-meaning ones. It was a huge source of stress and anxiety when I was at my lowest and I felt like I had to always have my wits about me. Every year I felt heavy hearted about what this educator might say or do.

Monique, parent to a bereaved child

Ask Me: Education encourages educators to commit to asking bereaved students what they need to be supported during their education. 

We’re asking educators to sign the manifesto and pledge to listen to bereaved students and hear what we need during our education. This six-point promise is a commitment to young people that they will be met with empathy, be asked what support they need and feel listened to. 

And we need your help. As parents and carers, we’re asking you to share Ask Me: Education with your young people’s education settings or any that you may be in contact with.  

We have created a special letter template which is designed to assist parents and carers of bereaved young people to lobby their children’s educators and education settings and ask that they sign the manifesto and consider implementing the bereavement plan. 

Download the template letter for parents and carers or encourage your child to personally write to their education setting or teacher with the help of this template . You can also download our posters, social media images and tips on how to lobby your local education setting to sign the Ask Me: Education Manifesto.