32 tcf.org.uk The Compassionate Friends is a national charity supporting parents and siblings who are bereaved through child loss. We hope that our insights can help you support any of your family members and friends who have been bereaved in this way. Helping Bereaved Parents Suggestions for family and friends of bereaved parents New and updated supportive leaflets TCF NEWS | NEWS FROM AROUND OUR CHARITY Helping bereaved parents Suggestions for family and friends of bereaved parents The support of family and friends of bereaved parents can make a real difference to those who have been bereaved of a child. If we feel alone in our grief, it can be harder to bear, whereas support and kindness from those in their social and family circle can make a positive difference. Many people who would like to support a bereaved parent worry about saying or doing the wrong things. Nobody can provide a simple list of exactly what to do or say. There is no a magical solution to make things better for a parent as they mourn their child, nor a simple formula that will be right for everyone. Yet parents who have been in touch with our charity have often told us about what has and has not helped them, so there are some general themes. We hope the suggestions in this leaflet, based on the experiences of bereaved parents, will help others to be there for those who have suffered the tragedy of the death of their child. Thank you to Jessica Mary Gower’s grandma who sponsored this leaflet in memory of Jessica. Download at tcf.org.uk/flip/Helping-Bereaved-Parents Handbook of ideas for remembering our child This updated handbook is designed as a resource that you can dip into when looking for ideas for honouring your child’s memory or ways to feel closer to them. Everything here has been suggested by bereaved parents or close family members as something that has worked for them, but that doesn’t mean that all of these ideas will appeal to you. Memorialising gives us the opportunity to ensure that our child has a lasting presence in our lives, the lives of other people who knew and loved them, and even those whom they never met. There is no wrong or right way to remember, and our own feelings and preferences about this are likely to change as time passes. It is our personal choice as to what type of ‘memorialising’ we do or how much time to spend on it. It is our hope that this handbook will serve as a useful springboard for your own unique journey of remembrance of your child. Thank you to the Adam Simms Foundation who sponsored this handbook in memory of Adam Simms. Download at tcf.org.uk/flip/Remembering-our-child-handbook Handbook of Ideas for Remembering Our Child A nationwide organisation of bereaved parents and their families offering support after a child dies.
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