More than 40 Merton primary schools are to be given free guidance on how to support suddenly bereaved children.
Brake’s Someone Had Died Suddenly children’s books and adult guides, sponsored by Co-op Funeralcare, aim to help families have difficult conversations with children about the loss of a loved one.
More than 500 copies of these guides are being donated to the schools by Co-op Funeralcare in Morden, through its links with Merton Council, in addition to six local libraries in the area.
In the UK, a parent of a dependent child dies every 22 minutes, leaving 41,000 children without a parent each year.
Leader of the council, Cllr Stephen Alambritis said: “No child should ever have to experience the loss of a parent or close family relative. The Amy and Tom bereavement books initiative are an invaluable resource for our schools and we are grateful to the Co-op for their generosity.”
Martin Clark, funeral director at Co-op Funeralcare in London Road, added: “The Co-op is at the heart of the local community in Merton and we want to reach out and support bereaved families wherever we can. We feel that it is vital that teachers are equipped with the tools and guidance to give these children the support they need.”
Jack Kushner, victim support events and marketing officer at Brake, the road safety charity, said: “A sudden bereavement can have a traumatic impact on children and young people. This book provides a great way for children to understand their strong emotions after a sudden bereavement, and offers a great way for adults and carers to facilitate difficult conversations. We’re incredibly grateful to the Co-op Funeralcare’s kind support, without which this essential resource would not be possible.”
