FINALIST 2023
127 children in the UK experience the death of their mother, father or sibling every day.
When the unimaginable happens and a child or young person experiences the death of a parent or sibling, their world can seem a very dark place. Life as they knew it changes instantly. ‘Out of Darkness’ captures the essence of moving from the darkness of grief, into a lighter, more accepting, happier place - into a ‘new normal’. We know that grief still exists but individuals can learn to live again – with their grief.
What does 'Out of Darkness' look like? To each person, coming out of darkness looks different, unique to them – they may find the confidence again to speak to their class about mummy or daddy, or discover a new hobby that allows them to express their emotional state. Night terrors may pass, or speech problems caused by trauma, subside. The process will be different for each child, but our intention is that they all find light and positivity once again.
A huge thanks to Ethan, Amelia-Rose, Olivia and Cameron for agreeing to share their stories.
How we help
Grief Encounter is a leading UK bereavement charity, offering free, professional support to bereaved children, young people and their families following the death of someone close.
Our expert clinical team offer face-to-face and online therapeutic services, including grieftalk, our free, national helpline, open weekdays, 9am – 9pm. We tailor long-term care plans to the individual that will include 1:1 counselling, online workshops, family days, creative therapies and more. Grief Encounter also provides free advice and training to educational institutions and corporate organisations, following the death of a student or an employee.
The impact we make
In the last financial year, we have seen a huge increase in calls to our free national helpline, grieftalk. Referrals for children to receive support from our specialist therapeutic services have increased by over half, with at least 50% of those needing face-to-face, clinical intervention, and a staggering 173% increase in the number of families supported through initial calls from our expert team of advisors.
Awards like these are hugely vital in raising awareness of the support we provide to help deliver our mission of helping bereaved children, young people and their families when they need it most.
If you would like to find out more about the special heritage of Grief Encounter and how we are dedicated to ensuring bereaved children receive the right support at the right time, please visit www.griefencounter.org.uk.
To donate, please click here.
We align with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
