{"id":9568,"date":"2022-07-13T17:10:50","date_gmt":"2022-07-13T16:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.devon.gov.uk\/supportforschools\/?page_id=9568"},"modified":"2026-02-24T15:42:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T15:42:20","slug":"loss-and-bereavement","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/send\/areas-of-need\/social-emotional-and-mental-health\/semh-one-minute-guides\/loss-and-bereavement\/","title":{"rendered":"One minute guide: Loss and bereavement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-abed67cc wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column doc-aside is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<aside class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#how-might-children-react\">How might children react?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-might-help\">What might help?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#short-term-advice-for-schools\">Short term advice for schools<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#longer-term-advice-for-schools\">Longer term advice for schools<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#further-help-support-and-useful-links\">Further help, support and useful links<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"dcc-documents-cpt-fixed dccdocs-sticky dccdocs-hidden\">\r\n    <div class=\"grid-container\">\r\n        <div class=\"grid-x grid-margin-x\">\r\n            <div class=\"cell medium-12\">\r\n                <a class=\"back-to-top hide-for-print\" href=\"#content\"><svg class=\"app-c-back-to-top__icon\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"13\" height=\"17\" viewBox=\"0 0 13 17\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M6.5 0L0 6.5 1.4 8l4-4v12.7h2V4l4.3 4L13 6.4z\"><\/path><\/svg> Contents<\/a>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column doc-content is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:75%\">\n<article class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-might-children-react\">How might children react?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Children often show feelings with behaviours rather than words. They pick up on tension, distress and anxiety from adults, and may mirror this in their own behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Children under six do not understand that death is permanent. They cannot handle strong emotions for long periods, and may jump in and out of grief (\u2018puddle jumping\u2019). They may regress and behave like a younger child, being quiet and tearful, or having angry outbursts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Adolescents may want to forget or deny the death. They may feel \u2018what\u2019s the point?\u2019 with school or friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-might-help\">What might help?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Be available. Provide extra time and space for activities or just be beside them to listen. Take your cue from the child. Maintain routines as much as possible. This enables children to feel safe and that not everything has changed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Be truthful. Children need clear and honest information. Use correct language such as \u2018died\u2019 and \u2018funeral\u2019. In our desire to protect them we can confuse them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Help them to create a \u2018first aid kit\u2019 of go-to activities that can help them to feel a little more relaxed, for example, blowing bubbles, going for a run or listening to music.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Support children to understand and \u2018own\u2019 their feelings. They need to know that, however they are feeling, it\u2019s okay.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Older young people may share feelings with peers. It\u2019s still important for them to have adults around that they trust. They may not have been able to say goodbye. Creating memory boxes, making worry dolls, salt jars or writing letters to loved ones can help.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Remember that you can make a difference.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"short-term-advice-for-schools\">Short term advice for schools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Look after yourself. Work in a team and let someone else step in when you are struggling. Remember that \u2018you have to put your own oxygen mask on first\u2019 before you can help others.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Acknowledge for the children how strange and difficult the situation is. Don\u2019t try to &#8216;normalise&#8217; it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Be open.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep a close connection with families.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide support and a listening ear.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"longer-term-advice-for-schools\">Longer term advice for schools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Set aside a quiet room with support on hand. The room should be available for children and staff as needed. Consider compiling condolences for bereaved children from their peers, collecting messages to send, or compiling an electronic book of condolence to email to the family.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make sure that you have a bereavement policy or charter in place. This helps staff to be prepared and ready to support when the need arises.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"further-help-support-and-useful-links\">Further help, support and useful links<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/send\/areas-of-need\/communication-and-interaction\/one-minute-guides\/emotional-logic\/\">Emotional logic &#8211; one minute guide<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.emotionallogiccentre.org.uk\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Emotional Logic Centre UK<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/winstonswish.org\" rel=\"noopener\">Winston\u2019s Wish<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.childbereavementuk.org\" rel=\"noopener\">Child Bereavement UK<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/education\/2020\/may\/12\/its-ok-for-teachers-to-cry-how-to-handle-bereavement-in-school\" rel=\"noopener\">The Guardian article<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Balloons Exeter <a href=\"tel:01392826065\">01392 826065<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Families in Grief (FIG) North Devon <a href=\"tel:01271 447960\">01271 447960<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Children and Families in Grief (CFG) South Devon <a href=\"tel:01803393917\">01803 393917<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"document-meta-acf-block clearfix \" id=\"block_acf-block-699dc6da8d2a8\"><div class=\" dcc-documents-meta\"><div class=\"dcc-documents-widget dcc-documents-widget-block\"><div class=\"dcc-documents-widget-box2\"><p class=\"dcc-documents-published\"><span>Published<\/span> <time datetime=\"2022-07-13T17:10:50+00:00\">13\/07\/2022 5:10pm<\/time><\/p><p class=\"dcc-documents-updated\"><span>Last Updated<\/span> <time datetime=\"2026-02-24T15:42:20+00:00\">24\/02\/2026 3:42pm<\/time><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How might children react? Children often show feelings with behaviours rather than words. They pick up on tension, distress and anxiety from adults, and may [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":981,"featured_media":0,"parent":35747,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"longdocument-template.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-9568","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"updated":"","dccdocs_documents":null,"section-guidance":"","sections":null},"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-31 06:55:21","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9568","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/981"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9568"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9568\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35762,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9568\/revisions\/35762"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9568"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}