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We recognise the varied ways that grieving children continue a bond with the person who has died.
Jenni Thomas
Bereavement Support
Since 2006 the ALMT has actively supported families with children who are coping with grief when someone important in their lives has suddenly and unexpectedly died or where a parent is dying. Support has previously been provided by Jenni Thomas who was awarded the OBE for her pioneering bereavement work in Britain.
Grief is a normal reaction to loss and death. Understanding behaviour can help at a deeply anxious and stressful time. Grief resembles fear and feelings of anxiety and loss of control can make life particularly difficult to manage. Support has focused on helping families with their experiences and feelings and the needs of families with children and young people facing loss and grief. The involvement of the parents or prime carer has always been essential.
About Jenni Thomas
Jenni has been listening to and learning from grieving parents and children over four decades. She founded the national Child Bereavement Charity (now known as Child Bereavement UK) in 1994, was Chief Executive and then President until 2009. In 2002 she was awarded the OBE in recognition of her work with the charity and the NHS. Jenni trained as a counsellor whilst working on the Special Care Baby Unit in the NHS. She has worked with the Chief Medical Officer and Department of Health and is a member of the Royal College of Nursing.
Through the NHS and the Child Bereavement Charity she has devised and run pioneering training programmes for professional clinicians, caregivers and volunteers who are in contact with grieving families. Jenni has written publications for professionals and families in this field and received an honorary doctorate from Buckinghamshire New University in 2007 for her contribution to bereavement education
Available Resources
It is natural to struggle with grief and there is no right way to respond to grief and loss. Over the years, Jenni Thomas has created a library of resources to help families including workbooks, videos and a video about ‘The Danger Age’ (highlighting the danger of drowning for children aged 2-4years old). The podcast series ‘Jenni Thomas talks about Child Bereavement’ is intended to help and guide anyone who is faced with a situation whether they are bereaved, or in a supportive role to someone who is grieving, a family member, friend or in a professional capacity