Health and Wellbeing
Grieving Together – Supporting a SEND Community with Grief
Plan how your special school shares the news of a death, and helps every pupil grieve alongside the people around them.
- 38 minutes
- 6 modules
- 0.5 CPD hours
- Certificate
Members
14 days free, then £70 a year or £7 a month.
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If you need help now
- If someone is in danger, call 999.
- For urgent mental health help, call NHS 111.
- Samaritans: call 116 123, any time.
- Shout: text SHOUT to 85258.
- Childline (for children and young people): 0800 1111.
- Papyrus HOPELINEUK (suicide, under 35s): 0800 068 4141.
What you'll learn
- Plan how to tell the whole school community about a death on the same day
- Use honest, concrete words about death that pupils can take in
- Explain where people have gone, whether they've died or simply moved on
- Name and value pupils' feelings rather than hurrying them to feel better
- Choose symbols, books and play resources that help pupils understand grief
About this course
Special schools are close communities, and when a pupil or member of staff dies, everyone feels it. It can be tempting to shield children with SEND from the news because they've enough to cope with already. That tends to leave them confused, and grieving on their own.
Someone who has spent over 25 years in special schools shows you another way. Tell everyone on the same day, in words they can understand: they have died and they're not coming back. Make it clear where people have gone, so a teacher who's changed jobs isn't mistaken for one who has died. Let children sit with strong feelings instead of cheering them up too quickly.
You'll also find practical resources, such as a bereavement symbol set, toys for playing out a funeral and memory books. And if you put in a memorial bench, keep it painted.
- For early career teachers, governors and 6 other roles. Special.
6 modules
Open in order
- 4 min
Introduction
- 9 min
The death of a friend
- 7 min
Where have they gone?
- 4 min
Valuing all feelings
- 7 min
Honesty and openness
- 9 min
Wrap up