S2 #10 How to talk to a child about bereavement with Ann Chalmers, Chief Executive, Child Bereavement UK Artwork

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Whether it's the grief of bereavement, the strain of divorce or the uncertainty of a new home or school, loss and change affect children in countless ways. Teachers and parents frequently find themselves ill-equipped to help children struggling with the difficult feelings that these situations, and others like them, bring. Helping Children Smile Again offers guided support for teachers, health professionals and parents through interviews with experts in the fields of education, healthcare and parenting.

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Helping Children Smile Again with Amanda Seyderhelm

S2 #10 How to talk to a child about bereavement with Ann Chalmers, Chief Executive, Child Bereavement UK

April 25, 2022 • Season 2 • Episode 10

Anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one will know that you never stop grieving for those you have loved, and what an important journey it is to find a way to live with that loss.

Child Bereavement UK has been helping families facing that journey since 1994 and that is why I'm delighted to be in conversation with Ann Chalmers, the Chief Executive of the charity.

If you have been concerned about how to talk to bereaved children, and what questions to ask, this conversation will be a helpful guide. We talk about the importance of not making any assumptions and keeping the conversation as open and honest as possible.

Instead of 'getting over grief', Ann talks about the ways in which we learn to live with our loss, to grow around it, which allows us to accommodate our grief in a healthy and connected way.

Asking for help when you are bereaved can feel daunting, which is why Child Bereavement UK have so many accessible resources available to choose from via their website, www.childbereavement.org to make starting your journey a little easier.

About Ann Chalmers

Ann has been involved in multi-disciplinary training of professionals in the area of loss and bereavement for over thirty years. She holds a BACP Accredited Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling and a University Accredited Diploma in Bereavement Counselling, and has provided counselling for individuals, couples and staff within the NHS and for children and young people within the voluntary sector. She has been Chief Executive of Child Bereavement UK since 2003 and has been involved in all aspects of the charity’s training, consultancy and service development work. She has contributed to a number of professional publications and books, and has presented nationally and internationally for the charity.

Learn more about Child Bereavement UK

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/childbereavementuk

Twitter @cbukhelp

Instagram @childbereavementuk

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/childbereavementchar

Connect with Amanda Seyderhelm

Visit my website to download my free eBook 10 Simple Play Therapy Techniques You Can Use To Help Your Child With Grief, Loss and Change

If you are supporting a bereaved child, or know someone who is, you can purchase my books - Isaac and the Red Jumper (for 4-10 yr olds) and Helping Children Cope with Loss and Change

@TheKidDecoder on Twitter
@amandaseyderhelm on Instagram and LinkedIn