Why RWK Goodman supports Children’s Grief Awareness Week 2021

As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic it is more pertinent than ever to remember the importance of Children’s Grief Awareness Week. There have been many more children and young people dealing with grief because they have lost somebody close to them over the last year. It is estimated that 1 child in every UK classroom under 16 years of age has suffered the loss of a sibling or parent.

When is Children’s Grief Awareness Week?

The week will run from 18th November 2021 to 25th November 2021 and is designed to assist in our understanding of the needs of grieving children and the support they require in order to help guide them through an extremely difficult time.

What does Children’s Grief Awareness Week hope to achieve?

Children’s Grief Awareness Week aims to raise awareness of the needs of children in the UK, to offer help and guidance to families and provide support to those who may not understand how to manage their grief or have the emotional tools necessary to cope with grief. In short, it is an opportunity to help us become more aware of the needs of grieving children and young people.

It is a chance for organisations to unite and show support for bereaved children across the UK and to fundraise for their services.

How can you get involved?

Spread the word

Share details of the awareness week and start a conversation. Encourage your school, university or workplace to speak up about Children’s Grief Awareness Week. Use the hashtag #childrensgriefawarenessweek or #saythewords on social media and tag in your friends and contacts.

Be honest about your own struggles

Children witness adults dealing with grief, and whilst it is good to be strong for them, seeing your grief can help validate their own emotions. They will learn that they don’t have to suppress their emptions, which will improve their long-term emotional health and how they manage their grief.

Organise a fundraiser

Grief can make us feel helpless but doing something productive can make a huge difference. You can work with children to raise awareness or money by organising a walk or coffee morning within the community. This also helps to raise awareness of key charities and support resources available to help.

Charity Grief Encounter are encouraging people to ‘Go Purple’ to raise awareness and to fundraise: More details are available here.

Seek out specialist help

There are lots of brilliant support resources available when a child is impacted by grief.

Our bereavement resources page >>

Grief Encounter - www.griefencounter.org.uk - Helpline 0808 802 0111

Child Bereavement UK – www.childbereavementuk.org - Helpline 0800 02 888 40

WAY – Widowed & Young: www.widowedandyoung.org.uk - Helpline 07375 918599

Childhood Bereavement Network – childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk - Helpline 020 7843 6309

Winston’s Wish – www.winstonswish.org - Helpline: 08088 020 021

Cruse Bereavement Care – www.cruse.org.uk - Helpline: 0808 808 1677