Jardine Introduces Bill to Improve Support for Bereaved Children

Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine has introduced legislation calling for improved mechanisms of support for children who suffer a bereavement.

Leading charities such as Winston’s Wish offer individual or group counselling sessions and other online services, but there is currently no process for notifying a bereaved child of where they can access support. This has left charities unable to get in touch with children who could benefit from their services.

Ms. Jardine’s Bill would provide clear guidance to councils, schools, and other public bodies on how to ensure every bereaved child knows where to find bespoke support. 

Despite Ms. Jardine presenting this Bill in previous sessions of Parliament, past Governments have been too slow to implement a system that would help charities connect with young people dealing with loss and grief.

Jardine also chairs the APPG for Child Bereavement, where she works with Parliamentary colleagues to bring this issue to the public agenda.

Christine Jardine said:

“This Bill is a vital step towards ensuring that grieving children have access to support following the tragic loss of a loved one.

“By creating a protocol through which children dealing with grief are signposted to support, charities like Winston’s Wish can more effectively deliver counselling services to those who need it most.

“No child enduring a personal loss should have to rely on word of mouth or search engines to find help – it should be explicitly offered to all of them. I am determined to make sure that the appropriate authorities pay attention to this problem and do more to support bereaved children.

“I hope this Government will support my Bill and make this simple, but vital change, to offer a shoulder for the thousands of children who are grieving across the country.”