Resources for schools

Below are some resources to help schools work towards achieving the Bereavement Charter Mark. It is not expected that schools will use all of these - a selection of potentially useful resources is provided below. 

This guide provides an overview of the Bereavement Charter Mark for Primary Schools: The Bereavement Charter for Children, Young People and Adults in Scotland - a Guide for Primary Schools

 

Criteria 1: All staff and parents are informed that the school is applying for the Bereavement Charter Mark and provided with access to information about bereavement support, both for adults and for children.

Resources:

For parents: This webpage lists many relevant links to information about bereavement support, both for adults and children.

For staff: 

• Whole School Approach to Supporting Loss and Bereavement 
• Child Bereavement UK resources for schools
• East Lothian Council resources for school staff
• Irish Childhood Bereavement Network resources for schools
• East Renfrewshire Bereavement Loss and Grief (BLG) Team resources for schools

 

Criteria 2: All members of the management team have read the “Supporting Managers’ section of the Scottish Bereavement Friendly Workplaces Toolkit.

Resources: Scottish Bereavement Friendly Workplaces Toolkit.

 

Criteria 3 Senior Management has developed/adopted a Bereavement Policy and/or bereavement guidance for the school, covering best practice for both staff and student bereavement.

Resources relating to a staff bereavement policy:

Scottish Bereavement Friendly Workplaces Toolkit

Resources relating to developing a policy relating to student bereavement:

Child Bereavement UK - bereavement policy information

Winston’s Wish

 

Criteria 4: All classes will read and undertake an activity (eg a book or lesson) that explores themes relating to death and bereavement.

• Winston’s Wish: PSHE Lessons on Loss and Bereavement
• Resilience Project: Educating and Supporting Children around Death, Dying and Bereavement 
• Childhood Bereavement Network - teaching about death and loss
• Irish Childhood Bereavement Network - Using picture books to support children
• https://www.childhoodbereavement.ie/schools/primary-school-teachers/picture-books-for-children-about-death-and-bereavement/

 

Criteria 5: Staff and students have worked together to develop and display a School Bereavement Charter. 

Each school community will have its own ideas about what its School Bereavement Charter should look like and include. However, below are two examples in case they help provide ideas and inspiration:

• Tips on first steps to creating a School Bereavement Charter and an example charter
• Victoria Primary School in Edinburgh have kindly shared their School Bereavement Charter as an example.

 

Criteria 6: Staff have received an education session on understanding childhood grief.

The following organisations offer bereavement training:

• Child Bereavement UK 
• Cruse Scotland Bereavement Support
• Winston’s Wish
• Some local hospices may be able to offer support. A list of hospices is available here: Scottish Independent Voluntary Hospices