Our grief following the accidental death of our child

UK Helpline: 0 345 123 23 0 4 | tcf.org.uk of comfort. Many of us have planted flowers or trees, dedicated a memorial bench or made a quilt out of our child’s clothes. For more ideas, see the TCF Handbook of ideas for remembering our child . Taking action Perhaps our child might have survived their accident if something had been done differently. If this is the case, we might feel motivated to campaign for change of some kind, for instance, better safety around swimming pools and beaches, better fire alarms, safer practices in extreme sports, or improved workplace safety. Alternatively, we might want to help raise funds for charities that focus on relevant issues. Some parents gain a great sense of purpose and fulfilment from campaigning or charitable work. However, this is not true for everyone. Campaigning can be physically exhausting and emotionally draining. It also requires us to continually engage with the circumstances of our child’s death. If we do decide to pursue charity or campaign work, it’s worthwhile taking stock once in a while and weighing up the overall impact, both on us and on other members of our family.