Traumatic Bereavement: Supporting Children and Young People at School or College

About this training

This evidence-based course has been developed by experts from the UK Trauma Council and is delivered by the Clinical Lead of the Traumatic Bereavement resource portfolio.

It is designed for staff with a pastoral role in schools and colleges who are responsible for supporting bereaved pupils and developing a whole-school approach. Those in counselling, practitioner, or clinical roles may find the alternative course, Traumatic Bereavement: Working Therapeutically with Children and Young People, more appropriate.

The way a child or young person experiences or understands death - and how they interpret its meaning - can shape whether the loss is experienced as traumatic. Traumatic bereavement can disrupt the normal grieving process, making it difficult for a child or young person to process their loss. Their difficulties may go unrecognised, even by experienced staff, leading to long-lasting challenges. It is vital that these children are identified and given appropriate support.

Sudden and unexpected deaths - whether due to serious illness, accidents, suicide, or violence - can increase the risk of traumatic bereavement. Children may struggle with distressing memories, unanswered questions, or feelings of guilt and responsibility. Disruptions to family and community support can further exacerbate their sense of isolation and confusion.

Delivered online, this training introduces traumatic bereavement, explains how it differs from typical grief, and explores practical approaches to support children and young people in education settings. The number of delegates is intentionally limited to allow for in-depth discussion and to tailor content to the needs of the group.

If you have any questions or would like further information about this training, feel free to contact the UK Trauma Council.

Aims of this training

The aim of this training is to train SENCOs, mental health leads and pastoral leads in education settings to recognise and support children and young people who may have experienced traumatic bereavement.

The training outcomes are to:

• Understand what traumatic bereavement is and how to recognise children and young people at risk.

• Develop confidence in having difficult conversations with traumatically bereaved children and young people.

• Learn how to develop support structures around staff supporting children and young people experiencing traumatic bereavement.

• Understand when and how to refer children and young people to specialist bereavement or NHS mental health services.

• Support your education setting's response to a bereavement.

Who should attend?

• SENCOs, mental health leads, or pastoral leads in schools or colleges

• staff directly supporting children and young people’s mental health

• early years and foundation stage practitioners

• frontline education staff working with children aged 2–6 years.