Our grief following the accidental death of our child

One of a series of leaflets published by The Compassionate Friends Finding out more If we want to understand more details of what happened, the police may be able to help gather further information for us or arrange a visit to the site of the accident. Responding to the curious Whether it is passing acquaintances or friends who should know better, we may have to deal with insensitive enquiries. People’s curiosity can be difficult to deal with. To some extent we might want to talk about what happened to our child, particularly in conversation with people we are comfortable with. But there is a limit, and we may not want to get into details. Sometimes it might be better for us to end a conversation or walk away if we are being pressed for information that we do not want to give. We are under no obligation. Coping with our grief “Finding someone to listen to me has been crucial for my mental health.” One day at a time We all grieve in our own way. As we start to adjust to our lives without our child, we may find that every day is different and brings its own emotional, psychological and practical difficulties. We may also find that we need to tell the story of what has happened over and over, to help us process this unwelcome new reality. Often the only way through is to take life one day at a time. Please see the TCF leaflets listed on page 15 for more information about different aspects of coping with grief, supporting any surviving children, and making decisions about going back to work.