The Archie Foundation’s child bereavement services is being extended to include Tayside and the Highlands.
The charity is creating three new bereavement coordinator posts to oversee the service, ensuring all children in the north of Scotland have access to tailored support when a loved one dies.
The Grampian Child Bereavement Network began in 2009 and joined Archie Foundation in 2019. It is now known as Archie’s Child Bereavement Service (ACBS).
Child bereavement services are in high demand
Malcolm Stewart, bereavement services manager said: “We recognise that every child is different and we believe that with the appropriate support, information and guidance all children and young people will be able to manage their grief.
“We know there are children and families in Tayside and Highlands who also need our help and by expanding our service our aim is to provide support for bereaved children right across the north of Scotland so no child is left to struggle through the grieving process alone.
“The bereavement coordinator role is a critical one, as it is the coordinator who takes the initial call, often from highly distressed parents or carers, and then puts together a programme of support for the child.”
Demand for Archie’s Child Bereavement Service has grown dramatically in the last two years. In the last year in Grampian alone, the charity has seen a 32% increase in the number of referrals received.
ACBS offer a wide range of services including providing specialist books to help a child understand what the death of a loved one means, group activity days or one to one support with bereavement responders.
Paula Cormack, chief executive of The Archie Foundation said: “We already receive phone calls from families in Highlands, Tayside and even London looking for our support as they cannot find it in their local area.
“Our own research shows us that there is no other charity offering a service like ours in Tayside or Highlands.
“Our service is all about kinship and taking the support to the child rather than expecting the family to travel miles for the child to attend counselling appointments.”