For healthcare professionals: what bereaved families tell us about the importance of communication and the hospital experience

Child Bereavement UK has been funded by BMA Giving to produce this guidance film to help support doctors working with bereaved families. The film includes footage from interviews with bereaved parents, exploring their experiences in hospital settings when their baby or child died or was not expected to live. With some key messages, the film’s aim is that doctors and other healthcare professionals can learn from families and ultimately improve the care and support offered.

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For healthcare professionals: what families tell us about being bereaved by suicide

Footage from interviews with bereaved parents and children, exploring their experiences and what helped them after being bereaved by suicide.
For doctors - when a child is not expected to live

Guidance for doctors around providing sensitive support to families when a child is not expected to live.
"How the pandemic has affected families and NHS staff I support"

Kristin O’Neill, Bereavement Support Team Lead talks about how the pandemic has affected bereaved families and NHS staff she supports.
For doctors - managing your wellbeing

Guidance for doctors on managing their wellbeing.
When a baby or child has died - guidance for medical professionals

Telling parents or carers that their baby or child has died.
Supporting adults before their child dies - guidance for medical professionals

This information is mostly aimed at medical professionals, although it may also be helpful for other professionals involved in a family’s care at this time.
Denise, Paediatric Nurse

Denise talks about her experience of working with bereaved parents, and colleagues affected in their work by the death of a child.
Dr Edward Gasiorowski, Neonatal Consultant

Dr Edward Gasiorowski is a Neonatal Consultant at St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester.
Gail Merrett, Children's Hospice Nurse

Gail Merrett is a nurse at the Francis House Children’s Hospice in Manchester.
Catherine and Clare, Neonatal Bereavement Support Sisters

Catherine Rylance and Clare Robinson are Neonatal Bereavement Support Sisters at St Mary's Hospital, Manchester.

Supporting bereaved children and young people

Children and young people grieve just as much as adults but they can show it in different ways. Find out how you can help them and more about child grieving.
Children's understanding of death at different ages

Guidance on children's understanding of death at different ages and stages of development.
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 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.
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.
Explaining death and dying to children

Guidance for teachers and parents on talking to children about death and dying,
UK death & bereavement statistics

A parent of children under 18 dies every 20 minutes in the UK; around 26,900 a year.
For adults bereaved as children

How being bereaved as a child can affect your life as an adult and where you can find support.

Short guidance films

Short films delivered by our support practitioners giving guidance on a range of bereavement topics. Read more

Books and resources

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

Others' experiences

Watch short films and read experiences of bereaved families and how support has helped them. Read more