Are you caring for a bereaved child?
Here are some of the changes that children and young people might experience after a bereavement:
Have you noticed any of the following:
- Changes in behaviour ;
- Persistent difficulty talking about the dead person;
- Sleeping difficulties;
- Eating difficulties;
- Marked social withdrawal;
- Persistent self-blame or guilt.
Most of these changes are part of bereavement but sometimes children and young people need extra support
Working to help bereaved families
Richmond's Hope began in 2003 in the Niddrie area of Edinburgh and is based in Richmond Craigmillar Church. We work in a purpose built playroom where children and young people are helped to rebuild their lives after the death of someone they loved.
Aims
- To make Richmond's Hope a place where bereaved children can work through their grief and have the support, information and help to allow them to manage the impact of death in their lives;
- To enable the children to express and understand their emotions, and work through their grief using verbal and non verbal ways, in the safe environment of Richmond's Hope;
- To increase bereaved children's self esteem by enabling them to meet others and share experiences;
- To increase public understanding of the social, practical and emotional needs of bereaved children, their families and other caregivers;
- To create individual programmes of care for each child (Each child's grief is different);
- To be a project in which local people, carers, schools and other agencies will have complete confidence.
Establishing links
Richmond's Hope will work to establish valuable links with the statutory and voluntary agencies, and supports the principles of cultural diversity and equal opportunities.
Richmond's Hope will work closely with, and take referrals from:
- Educational schools;
- Health Board (Doctors, Health Visitors);
- Social Work;
- Churches (all denominations);
- Other voluntary agencies working with families and children.