Elephant's Tea Party

Fun resources to equip pupils with coping skills for bereavement, now and in later life

By talking about death and dying as a normal and natural subject, it can help enable bereaved
children to have better coping skills. Giving children support from familiar, trusted adults will mean that most will not need professional help. Schools are well placed to provide this support.

The Elephant's Tea Party is a free initiative for schools that raises the topics of death and grief in a sensitive and age-appropriate way. It helps teachers give children the emotional literacy and life skills needed to equip them for bereavement, now and in later life.

Latest

James

James shares why he decided to take part in the London Marathon for Child Bereavement UK and explains how he raised funds.
"We did the things that Fraser would have wanted us to do."

Caroline’s son and only child Fraser died aged 18 from a brain tumour in 2022. Caroline remembers a special Christmas photo of Fraser and shares how she and her husband Phil marked Christmas after he died.
Caroline

Caroline was supported by Child Bereavement UK in Glasgow after her son and only child Fraser died, aged 18, from a brain tumour in 2022.
Child Bereavement UK’s animation 'The Invisible Suitcase’ wins at Big Syn International Film Festival

Child Bereavement UK’s animation ‘The Invisible Suitcase’ was the joint winner in the Mental Health Charity film category at the 2023 Big Syn International Film Festival, London.

James

James shares why he decided to take part in the London Marathon for Child Bereavement UK and explains how he raised funds.
"We did the things that Fraser would have wanted us to do."

Caroline’s son and only child Fraser died aged 18 from a brain tumour in 2022. Caroline remembers a special Christmas photo of Fraser and shares how she and her husband Phil marked Christmas after he died.
Caroline

Caroline was supported by Child Bereavement UK in Glasgow after her son and only child Fraser died, aged 18, from a brain tumour in 2022.
Child Bereavement UK’s animation 'The Invisible Suitcase’ wins at Big Syn International Film Festival

Child Bereavement UK’s animation ‘The Invisible Suitcase’ was the joint winner in the Mental Health Charity film category at the 2023 Big Syn International Film Festival, London.
Christmas Concert Volunteer | Glasgow

13 December 2023 | 4-5 hours
Christmas Carol Bucket Collection Volunteer | Buckinghamshire

9 and 17 December 2023 | High Wycombe | 1 day
Claire

Claire was supported by Child Bereavement UK in Edinburgh after her son Jamie died aged 10 from Covid-19.
London to Brighton Cycle

Cycle ride | 54 miles
Winter Woolly Wednesday

Wear your cosiest knitwear on 13 December and take part in our Winter Woolly Wednesday.
Olivia and John

Olivia aged 13 was supported by Child Bereavement UK after her mother died. She and her father John talk about how support helped Olivia cope with her grief.

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.
Children's understanding of death at different ages

Guidance on children's understanding of death at different ages and stages of development.
When a grandparent dies

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.
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.
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.
Contact us

Contact details for our Helpline, departments and services.
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.