Help for parents and carers supporting grieving children

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How can Winston’s Wish help parents and carers supporting grieving children?

At Winston’s Wish, we understand the complexities and the worries that come with supporting a bereaved child or young person. We want to let you know that we’re here to lean on at the hardest of times.   

Our team of bereavement specialists offer guidance and advice, helping to equip you with the tools you need to provide the best support for your bereaved child as they grow up grieving. 

We can also talk to you through all our services aimed at directly supporting children and young people and advise you on where to start depending on your child or young person’s age and needs.  

From helping you find the right words to have important conversations about death, dying and grief to advising on the best and most appropriate support for your child, we’re here to lean on at the hardest of times.  

Information & Advice

Information and advice

There’s a wealth of grief related information and advice right here on our website. Search for blogs, videos, books and activities covering a variety of topics including ‘how to tell a child someone has died’, ‘coping with birthdays, anniversaries and special days’ and ‘managing separation anxiety’. You can also find information by cause of death.  

All of our content is created by our bereavement specialists and is updated regularly in line with best practice.

Grief Talks for parents and carers

‘Growing with Grief’ talks for parents and carers help you learn more about grief, how it impacts children and young people and ways to support them. 

Download one of our pre-recorded talks to listen when it suits you best. 

Speak with a Bereavement Specialist

Having important conversations with your child, coping with milestones or concerns about changes in their behaviour – whatever your bereavement query, our team of specialists can offer advice and guidance. There’s someone available to speak with from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays). There’s no need to book an appointment and no lengthy wait times.

If you need support in a language other than English, we have access to telephone interpreters and we can use the Relay UK app if you have hearing or speech difficulties.   

Call free on 08088 020 021

Email us on ask@winstonswish.org or fill out our contact form and we’ll reply within two working days.

Click the blue ‘Chat with us’ button at the bottom right of your screen.

Text or WhatsApp us on 07418 341 800 (open 3pm-8pm, Monday to Friday).

Looking for direct support for your bereaved child?

Winston’s Wish provides a range of information and services directly for children and young people (up to 25) who are bereaved or facing the death of someone important to them.   

We believe in empowering children and young people to take charge of their bereavement support journey, offering them choice and control in what services they engage with.  

Children and young people can explore our range of age-appropriate information and resources, and they can access direct immediate support by connecting with a bereavement specialist through live chat, email, text or phone.  

Information and support for bereaved kids (12 and under) 

Information and support for bereaved young people (13 to 25) 

If your child or young person isn’t ready to speak to someone right away or isn’t sure where to start, they can complete an enquiry form. This form will then be reviewed by a team of bereavement specialists who will provide guidance on the best and most appropriate service based on their needs. We encourage you to support your child or young person to make their own enquiry. 

Parents and carers can submit enquiry forms for a child aged 12 or under.  

Form for adults enquiring on behalf of a child under 13 

Please note we cannot accept enquiry forms from parents on behalf of young people aged 13. Instead, young people should complete their own form here.  

We are unable to process any enquiries without the prior consent of the child or young person.  

Peer support for parents and carers

Dealing with your child’s grief as well as your own can feel difficult, lonely and isolating. But there are others out there who are going through it too. 

Our parent and carer peer support groups bring people together to share valuable perspectives, advice and to tell their story (although there is no obligation to do so).

Online support groups 

Connect with other parents and carers going through the same experiences as you to share valuable perspectives and advice. 

All of our content is created by our bereavement specialists and is updated regularly in line with best practice.

WAY Widowed and Young

WAY Widowed and Young is a national charity which offers a peer-to-peer support network to people across the UK who have been widowed before their 51st birthday. 

You might also be interested in

• Books and resources to help support bereaved children 

• Children and Young People’s Grief Activities  

 

Did you know that Winston’s Wish is a charity? We provide our information, advice and services free of charge to ensure no child or young person has to grieve alone. If you’d like to make a donation or fundraise to ensure we can continue to be there for bereaved children and young people across the UK please click here.

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