Books and resources

Children under five may not fully understand the concept of death and they need simple and honest explanations, possibly repeated many times.

Books can be a good way to introduce difficult concepts to young children.

> Books for Early Years

> Elephant's Tea Party

> Managing bereavement: A guide for schools

Latest

Jason Watkins and Clara Francis raise awareness of sepsis and child bereavement in ITV documentary

Child Bereavement UK’s Patrons Jason Watkins and Clara Francis launched a documentary film for ITV1 this week dedicated to their daughter, Maudie, who died when she was two and a half years old.
Vitality 10,000

London
Child Bereavement UK wins silver award in Charity Film Awards

Child Bereavement UK has won a silver award at the Charity Film Awards 2023 for its short animated film Puddle Jumping.
President of National Association of Funeral Directors becomes advisor to Child Bereavement UK

John Adams, President of the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD), has become Funeral Industry Advisor to Child Bereavement UK.

Developing a bereavement policy or charter

A school with a bereavement policy is prepared and has plans in place to deal with death, grief and bereavement.
Supporting a bereaved child in an Early Years setting

Bereaved young children need the stability of a familiar routine with caring adults.
Support for the family

Information to help members of staff supporting a bereaved family.
Support for yourself

The need for support yourself is not a sign of an inability to cope or of professional incompetence, but a recognition that everyone needs help to carry out this demanding role.
Managing bereavement: A guide for schools

This guide offers support and information when a death occurs in the school community or when a school is facing an expected death.

Telling a child that someone has died

It is important to tell a child of any age when someone important in their lives has died, and ideally this is done by someone who is closest to them.
Supporting bereaved children and young people

Children and young people grieve just as much as adults but they show it in different ways. Find out how you can help them and more about child grieving.
Grieving for a child of any age

The agony of losing a child of any age is unparalleled. There is no age or point in time that makes it any easier. No parent expects to face the death of their child and no grandparent expects to lose their grandchild.
When a grandparent dies - the impact on children and young people

The death of a grandparent is often a child or young person’s first encounter with the death of someone important. Parents have a great deal to manage when their own parent or carer dies. There is the grief associated with their own loss, but also the reactions and responses of their children to the death of a grandparent.
Children's understanding of death at different ages

Babies and young children have no understanding of the concept of death yet, long before they are able to talk, babies are likely to react to upset and changes in their environment brought about by the absence of a significant person.
Child Bereavement UK training

Child Bereavement UK designs and delivers training for professionals in health and social care, education, the emergency services and the voluntary and corporate sectors, equipping them to provide the best possible care to bereaved families.
Contact us

Contact one of the Child Bereavement UK centres or get in touch with one of our departments.
When your baby dies

When a baby lives only a short time or dies before birth due to miscarriage, stillbirth or a painful decision to end the pregnancy, people may assume that the loss is not important. This is simply not the case.
UK death & bereavement statistics

A parent of children under 18 dies every 22 minutes in the UK; around 23,600 a year. This equates to around 111 children being bereaved of a parent every day.
Sudden death - including accidents, suicide and homicide

Bereavement can be devastating in any situation, but a sudden death brings additional layers of shock, horror or disbelief. We can help, find out more here.

Short guidance films

Our short films are delivered by support practitioners and cover a range of topics on grief and bereavement, providing guidance on what can help. Read more

Books and resources

A list of books and resources relating to grief and bereavement and what may help. Read more

Others' experiences

Some bereaved families find it helpful to read about other peoples’ experiences and how the support they have received has helped them. Read more