When Your Child Has Died Abroad

UK Helpline: 0345 123 2304 | www.tcf.org.uk 9 If you do not travel to where they died As discussed on page 5, circumstances might not permit you to travel. It is not going to be easy as you face an agonising wait to get hold of information and help, and try to overcome barriers of time and language. You may have to deal with a post mortem, police enquiry, the safe- keeping of your child’s body by a funeral director and transport of your child’s body or ashes to an international airport, all from a great distance. This will require trusting people you will probably never meet to take care of your child’s precious body, unless they are accompanied by their partner or friends. If your child died because of someone else’s neglect or through violence, you will hope and expect that the authorities will strive to obtain justice for both your child and for yourself. If the cause of your child’s death is a mystery, you will wish fervently that they will carry out a full and honest investigation into the facts. However, deep down, you may worry that because your child was a foreigner, organisations in the country where they died may not put their best efforts into overseeing their case. At a distance, it might be hard to know what is happening. Media attention may result in a distortion of facts. You will need to allow yourself time for the necessary communications and time to deal with your grief. It might feel overwhelming. As far as possible, be kind to yourself and accept help when offered. Time Difference The distance between home and where your child died is not only a matter of travel miles, but also time zones. The amount of time when you can communicate directly with officialdom might be limited due to their office hours. If you are overseas yourself, then you will want to be aware of the time difference when communicating with friends and family back home.