Barnardo’s Child Bereavement Service
Barnardo’s Child Bereavement Service in Belfast began in 1998. We provide
- individual and group support to children and young people up to 18 years old who have been bereaved
- an advice line that adults concerned about a bereaved child can contact for information and advice
- training and information nights for parents and professionals to assist in developing ways of helping bereaved children.
The Child Bereavement Service has four staff members and a team of dedicated volunteers who help run the Advice Line and are involved in the group work with bereaved children and young people.
Why have a Child Bereavement Service?
'Without the right conditions for healing, children and teenagers will carry their emotional wounds into the rest of their lives. We know that children who have a parent die are at risk. They are more likely than other children to experience higher levels of depression; an increase in health problems and accidents; poorer school performance, more anxiety and fear; lower self esteem; a destructive belief that all events in their lives are beyond their control, and less optimism about succeeding in later life.'
Schuurman, 2003
Schuurman, 2003
