Local authority educational psychologists may or may not be equipped to advise schools on bereavement.Local organisations exist, and they usually know each other, so a call to one of those listed will lead to others. Where there is a local hospice, this can be a good starting point.
Winston’s Wish, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Great Western Road, Gloucester GL1 3NN. Tel:01452 394165. Winston’s Wish organises residential camps for bereaved children, and supports schools in its area. They produce a pack which includes a very practical “Strategy for Schools”. Please send #163;5 to cover costs.
Sunrise (support in the West Midlands for all those affected by the death of a child), 83 Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. B16 9DB.
Steve and Liz Fitzgerald (information on Bishops Wood Group), Bannut Tree House, Lye Head, Bewdley. DY12 2UW
The Dove Centre, 2 Wellington Road, Hanley, Stoke on Trent. ST1 3QH. Tel: 01872 202156. Information, and in-service work in North Staffordshire.
The Compassionate Friends,
6 Denmark Street, Bristol. BS1 5DQ. 0117 9292 778.
International Organisation of Bereaved Parents (some local groups) Excellent short publications.
CRUSE. 126 Sheen Road,
Richmond, Surrey. TW9 1UR. Tel: 0181 940 4818 Support for all bereaved people. See phone book for local groups. Leaflets, a teacher’s pack.
NSPCC, “Talking Blues: when you lose someone you care about”, a set of 50 bookmarks and one teacher’s leaflet costs #163;2.50 from NSPCC, 42 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH. Tel: 0171 825 2775.
Acorn Children’s Hospice, 103 Oak Tree Lane, Selly Oak, Birmingham. B29 6HZ. Tel: 0121 414 1741. Produces a superb pack for schools with a large collection of pamphlets and reprints on family grief and bereavement. It has been distributed free to Birmingham schools. Other schools should write to Jayne Adams, education liaison officer at Acorn. Donations welcome. Acorn also runs courses for professionals. Details on request.
