Death of a child
When a child dies before their parents, parents face a situation they may never have expected to have to cope with. Today’s good healthcare means most children will outlive their parents. However, a “death out of time” where a child dies before their parents, is a terrible situation regardless of whether the child is young, a teenager or even an adult with a family of their own.
To help understand a little of what bereaved parents are experiencing you may like to watch the film “Say their name” This was produced by The Compassionate Friends in memory of children who have died, to help others experiencing a similar grief.
Available support
If you are looking at this page because your child has died, please know that you are not alone, and help is available.
Different types of help will work for different people at different times.
The Compassionate Friends:
If you would like to talk to another parent who has lived through the death of their own child and has now been trained to provide emotional support to others The Compassionate Friends offers a helpline 7 days a week, 10am-4pm and 7-10pm. Call 0345 123 2304.
This helpline is available to you however recently or long ago you were bereaved of your child, and however old your child was at the time of their death.
If you would like to meet with other parents in a similar situation The Compassionate Friends can help to connect you to a support group that meets in your area. Some of these groups are currently meeting online.
Great Ormond Street Hospital:
Child Death Helpline is run by Great Ormond Street Hospital and is available to parents, wider family and professionals who have been affected by the death of a child.
Call 0800 282 986 for support.
Child Bereavement UK:
Child Bereavement UK’s vision is for all families to have the support they need to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies.
Child Bereavement UK is currently offering one- to-one booked telephone support as well as some support groups by Zoom.
The Helpline 0800 02 888 40 is open from Monday-Friday 9am -5pm.
The Child Bereavement UK website offers a wealth of support and information to help parents, siblings and grandparents.
The Lullaby Trust:
For anyone affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a baby or young child
The Lullaby Trust offers confidential bereavement support through their helpline on 0808 802 6868.
The Lullaby Trust’s listening service is staffed by Helpline Advisers in office hours and by bereaved parents and grandparents at weekends. The service can also offer to connect you with a Befriender.
Don’t forget about you
Overwhelming grief can be exhausting and taking little steps to look after yourself can help with this.