There’s something about endings that are implied at New Year, and as we look ahead to 2024, we reflect on the past, considering all that has gone before and are encouraged to embrace the new.  We ask ourselves what will we change, do differently and stop altogether.

As we approach the festive season, it just seems right to take a moment, to reflect on the significance of this time for those children who are not just carried away with excitement but having to navigate a whole other range of emotions associated with of grief, and this year it feels like even more so, at this time of great tragedy and unrest in the world around us.

How can we better support young people through the complex processing of grieving? Shelley Gilbert is a consultant psychotherapist and child and adolescent grief specialist whose work is informed by her own experience of being orphaned at the age of nine. 

Grief Encounter is proud to announce their continued partnership with ITV Good Morning Britain’s 1 Million Minutes campaign, now in its eight year, working to end loneliness and isolation in the UK through the power of volunteering.

Grief Encounter is proud to announce their continued partnership with ITV Good Morning Britain’s 1 Million Minutes campaign, working to end loneliness and isolation in the UK through the power of volunteering.

We are thrilled that "Why It Matters”, our latest film, released during Children’s Grief Awareness Week (CGAW), which .shows what a difference, the right support, from the right people at the right time, has on bereaved children and young people who suddenly find themselves facing the death of someone who matters ti them. It is nominated for a prestigious Smiley Charity Film Award. But now we need your help to make us a finalist and raise awareness even further of Why it Matters’

As we celebrate National Volunteers Week, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to each one of the Volunteers who support our organisation.

International humanitarian disasters, such as the events taking place in Israel, have devastating effects on individuals and communities around the world. Coping with the trauma, and grief that result from these events can be overwhelming, along with associated grief which comes from exposure to the events, and stories of families affected, in the wider international media. It might be difficult to have a conversation with children and young people around the events taking place in Israel, especially if you have been directly affected by the tragedy.

This time of year can be challenging, exciting, sad and happy – all at the same time. For children and young people who have experienced bereavement, the journey from primary to secondary school, or from secondary school and college to university, can trigger a mix of emotions, including amplifying their grief.  In this grief guide, we hope to give you some tips and coping mechanisms to make this transition easier, and remember that your feelings are valid, and it's okay to seek professional support during this time.

International humanitarian disasters, such as the Moroccan earthquakes that have taken place this weekend, can have devastating effects on individuals and communities around the world. It might be difficult to have a conversation with children and young people around the events taking place in Morocco, especially if you have been directly affected by the tragedy.