Child Bereavement Service
Bereavement support for children aged between 5 and 18
years in Bedfordshire
Although it is a natural part of life, the death of
someone close can be a distressing and overwhelming experience for
anyone.
Children experience the pain of loss just as much as adults,
although their reactions will depend on their age, maturity and
understanding of events.
Adults often try to protect their children from the facts of death,
perhaps feeling that they are too young to understand, or that
talking about the loss will be too distressing.
Experience has shown us that children can gain a great deal from
meeting others of their own age who have had similar experiences
and, if given the chance to understand events and to express their
own feelings, they can learn to adjust to their loss.
The Child Bereavement Service is an organisation established from a
wide range of experienced, trained professionals and volunteers
throughout Bedfordshire. It includes Barneys for children aged up
to 12 and Chums for older children and young people.
Chums and Barneys were created to meet the needs of children and
their families following the death of someone close, however they
may have died.
The service offers help in a variety of ways:
- Individual support for children by a trained
volunteer;
- Workshops for groups of children, enabling them to
meet those of a similar age with similar experiences.
(Children may decide that they need a bit of both ~
and that's OK.)
- Parent/carer support groups.
- Children may be invited to other events through
the year.
Through activities and group discussion in a safe, non
threatening and supportive environment, the children are helped to
explore what has happened to them, to understand the feelings they
are experiencing and to find ways of coping.
The service is free and
confidential.
If you think we may be able to help, please contact us
at the address below, either by letter or telephone and ask for
further details. We can also advise you about other organisations
that may be able to help.
CHUMS
Child Bereavement, Trauma and Emotional Wellbeing Service
Wrest Park Enterprise Centre
Wrest Park
Silsoe
MK45 4HS
Tel: 01525 863924
Email: info@chums.uk.com
Web: www.chums.uk.com
Please call between
9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. Monday to Friday