Research reports

Improving Bereavement Support in Schools

This research was commissioned by Child Bereavement UK (CBUK), funded by the True Colours Trust, and carried out by External Research Consultant Joy O’Neill, and Dr. Katie Koehler and Dr. Ann Rowland from Child Bereavement UK.

Improving Bereavement Support in Schools surveyed over 1000 teachers and staff in pastoral, outreach and management roles within primary and secondary schools. In addition, case studies were gathered from seven schools from Scotland, South Wales, South West England, South Central England and North West England, and seventeen in-depth interviews with teachers were undertaken. The research aimed to gain a better understanding of the drivers and barriers for schools in accessing training and effectively supporting bereaved pupils.

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I think when you are bereaved at a very young age… you feel a pain like no other pain.

Child Bereavement UK Patron His Royal Highness Prince William, who lost his mother Diana at age 15.

Cambridge Research Reports

This research was commissioned in 2019 by Winston's Wish (now part of Child Bereavement UK) and conducted by researchers at Cambridge University’s Faculty of Education.

The report, Consequences of childhood bereavement in the context of the British school system, brings together a wealth of research about children who have lost a mother, father or sibling before the age of 18, with a specific focus on support from school.

Although schools recognise bereavement as a high priority, teachers say they feel ill-equipped to offer support to bereaved children, even avoiding intervention through fear of doing more harm than good, according to the report.

At the same time researchers also gathered the experiences of adults who lost parents and siblings as children. Their moving account is published in a separate report, Voices of adults bereaved as children, which reinforces the message that meaningful support is important and schools are the key site providing such support.

To download our Cambridge Research Reports please complete the request form first, by clicking below.

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