BEREAVEMENT IS EVERYONE’S BUSINESS
Wednesday 30th October 2024 at Emmanuel Church, Northwood
A LEADING bereavement expert spoke about the work being done to meet community needs and challenges for the future.
Dr Alison Penny MBE, coordinator of the National Bereavement Alliance; organisations and individuals working with bereaved people in England, talked about the public health approach to bereavement, an “opportunity to step away from what the individual needs and think about what we need as a society,”
She was talking to the 43rd Bereavement Care Annual Conference, entitled Bereavement is Everyone’s Business, held in Northwood on October 30. Over 100 delegates from all denominations and none attended.
Dr Penny said: “We should be asking individuals what is needed across our communities.”
One public health model of bereavement support showed that 60% of most people gained support from family and friends, 30% from a group or counsellor and 10% may need a referral to a mental health professional.
Challenges included loneliness and isolation amongst the elderly and poverty preventing some people struggling to access services because of travel costs.
She highlighted eight Principles for Change from the 2022 report by the UK Commission on Bereavement, sparked by the Covid pandemic.
- I am supported by my family, friends and the communities around me.
- I am sensitively supported by my school, college or workplace during my bereavement.
- I am well supported during the death and feel confident the person who died received appropriate and compassionate care.
- The things I must do after a death are simple and straightforward.
- I am compassionately and helpfully supported by those whose job brings them into contact with me through my bereavement.
- I have access to an affordable and meaningful funeral.
- I feel secure in my home and have the right financial support.
- I can easily find and access the right emotional bereavement support for my circumstances.
Dr Penny said while many improvements had been made, many driven by bereaved families, there was still a long way to go.
She said these could include how to support a bereaved friend in school, bereavement included in the curriculum, training, national campaigns like a grief awareness week, the simplification of administration when someone dies.
She said: “There is so much more we could do to give people a safety net. There is a lot of work to be done but a lot going on now. We really can say bereavement is everyone’s business.”
A series of inspiring workshops including supporting bereaved children and young people, online support for those bereaved by suicide and anticipatory grief were held throughout the day.
Gopal Bhachu, Bereavement Care’s Chair of Trustees, welcomed delegates as did Judy Silverton, Chair of Bereavement Care’s Conference Planning Group. She also thanked everyone involved in the day and for the wonderful refreshments.
David Griffiths, Bereavement Care’s Executive Officer, reiterated that bereavement was everyone’s business and closed the conference.
Article by Jane Harrison
Photographs by David Pollak