Press Release

Better help urged for young people who experience bereavement

"I just can't get over it at times...when it's really hard, it's like losing a part of yourself...it's like learning to walk again..."  Neville, 19, interviewed a year after witnessing his mother's sudden death from a heart attack.

Young people who experience the death of someone close to them - whether a parent, brother, sister, grandparent or friend - should be offered better support to help them grieve and cope with potential long-term consequences of their loss. A range of provision, from 'death and bereavement' education in schools to peer support and specialist counselling, could be made widely available, according to a study for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

The report argues that it is more common for children to encounter the death of a close relative or friend than is often appreciated. Research suggests that between 4 and 7 per cent of young people may lose a parent before age 16, and that a similar proportion experience the death of a sibling - most often the loss of a baby brother or sister.

However, one survey found that more than nine out of ten children and young people have experienced the death of someone 'close' or 'significant' to them, such as grandparents and friends (and sometimes including much-loved pets). Other research suggests that large numbers of bereaved young people never talk to anyone about their experiences, with a risk of growing social isolation.

Reviewing the evidence, Jane Ribbens McCarthy of the Open University and Julie Jessop of Cambridge University conclude that the help available to young people through schools and bereavement organisations is patchy, and highly variable in quantity and content. They argue that particular attention should be paid to support services in disadvantaged areas that have the highest mortality rates.

Dr Ribbens McCarthy said: "Bereavement can have particularly harmful implications for young people who are already vulnerable or living in disadvantaged circumstances. The many difficulties in their lives put them at particular risk of poor mental health and other problems following their loss. A variety of support services ought to be available so that all bereaved young people can access help, if and when they want it. These range from basic information to individual and family-based programmes, including provision for bereavement in particular circumstances, such as sudden, accidental death or suicide."

In calling for better support services, the report acknowledges that young people respond in different ways to the death of someone close to them; and it accepts that they will not necessarily welcome or need 'expert' help. For some, friends and families may provide the key supports, but others may experience bullying by their peers, and alienation - even outright abuse - from other family members.

The study also notes that while many bereavements are deeply upsetting and can have sustained, adverse effects on children, not all the consequences are necessarily negative. One young woman, quoted in the case studies, described how the death of her great-grandfather had brought her closer to her family and made her aware of the need to 'get on' with life.

Looking at bereavement as a 'risk factor' for long-term problems, the report reviews a large number of research studies, whose findings are often contradictory. For example, some researchers have identified higher than expected levels of disruptive behaviour among children that have lost a parent, while others conclude the link is minimal or non-existent. There are comparable disagreements over how far childhood bereavement is associated with depression and other mental health problems. More, and better, research is needed into such issues.

It is, nevertheless, clear that young people who experience several bereavements, or other losses, during childhood are at increased risk of long-term emotional and social problems. The evidence also shows that the chances of experiencing multiple losses among family and friends are related to deprivation and living in a disadvantaged area.

Dr Ribbens McCarthy said: "We need to understand bereavement as something that most young people will experience while they are still growing up. Although many find ways of their own to cope, without the need for 'expert' help, the evidence suggests that the loss of someone close to them often holds long-term significance in their lives. The notion that children and young people will simply 'get over it' can be especially unhelpful."

The full report and a summary of findings is available, free of charge, from:
http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialpolicy/0315.asp