Support following a bereavement
Following a bereavement, it is common for people to experience a range of feelings. You might not feel how you would expect to feel. You might find it difficult to express your emotions, or you might feel an urge to share your feelings with others.
It is normal to feel grief and other emotions when you have been bereaved, or for it to impact our normal levels of happiness and resilience. However, if you continue to experience some of these negative effects which do not seem to be improving, there are a range of sources of support for both adults and children. Below are some of the places which can offer you support.
Organisations providing support
- Cruse has a bereavement helpline and can provide information on dealing with grief.
- The Bereavement Advice Centre supports and advises people on what they need to do after a death. They welcome calls from bereaved people and the professionals and volunteers who support them.
- At a Loss helps bereaved people receive the support that they need.
- The NHS has information, advice and support for people experiencing grief from bereavement or loss.
- Sue Ryder offers information, advice, resources and an online bereavement community to help you cope with the practical and emotional aspects of grief.
- Child Bereavement UK offers advice, support and a helpline for families who are grieving the loss of a baby or child of any age
- Sudden has helpful advice online for the immediate aftermath of a bereavement.
For children and young people:
- Winston’s Wish is a national charity that help grieving children.
- Jigsaw4u offer bereavement support for children and young people in the London boroughs of Merton and Sutton.
- After the Event has a leaflet for parents about supporting children after a frightening event.
- Kooth offers an online support service for children aged 11-25.
- The Anna Freud Centre has a useful resource, My Self Care Plan, which walks young people through a series of steps, helping them create a detailed self-care plan that works for them.
- Off the Record offer free counselling and mental health support to children and young people in Croydon, Merton and Sutton.
- Childline offers general emotional support
- How to get up and Go When You Are Feeling Low is a booklet to help children think about what helps them when they feel upset or stressed
Mental health support
Find information about the mental support available for you or someone you care about.