Our grief following the accidental death of our child

UK Helpline: 0 345 123 23 0 4 | tcf.org.uk News and social media The accidental death of our child may be reported by newspapers, particularly local outlets. This is not something we can prevent or control. It is up to us whether we talk to journalists or not. Some bereaved parents give the media a brief statement and/or a photograph of their child. If we can’t face speaking to the media directly, we may wish to ask a solicitor or a close friend to make a statement on our behalf. News about our child may circulate rapidly on social media. Some of us might choose to ignore social media altogether, whilst others have found messages posted on our own profiles or those of our child to be a great support and comfort. The great majority of social media postings are likely to be kind and respectful, but there is also a possibility of falsehoods, guesswork and even deliberately cruel jibes. Not having control over the way our child’s death is discussed may compound our grief, although it Is worth bearing in mind that social media attention will usually come to an end as quickly as it began. There is the possibility of renewed attention in the future, both on social and mainstream media, if and when any inquest or trial begins. • For more advice on dealing with social media, see the TCF leaflet Our child’s digital legacy . • For more about coping with the press, see: suddendeath.org/ uncategorised/219-bereavement-under-the-spotlight