Young People Now
“Grief support manual offers clear and constructive advice”
Everyone whose work brings them into contact with young people needs to reflect on what their first response might be on discovering that a young person has suffered a significant loss.
This resource pack does just this, moving through brief but clear reflections on what grief is, to very practical and achievable ways of responding as a professional. This is set within the context of good advice to practitioners about looking after themselves, and the larger government initiatives of Every Child Matters and the Common Assessment Framework.
The resource pack consists of a user-friendly manual that is relevant enough to be read by busy people, and an accompanying DVD that gives professionals the opportunity to hear young people speak for themselves. It stresses that grief is a natural reaction to loss, and that given tools to work with and some time for reflection professionals have, in most cases, the skills to support a bereaved young person.
The manual is clear and concise, taking account of the individuality of the grieving process. It highlights important points and offers some sensible thoughts about having conversations with bereaved young people.
It refers to the need for young people to be helped to develop emotional resilience and briefly touches on anxieties professionals may have about young people self-harming and confidentiality issues.
Overall, this is a practical first response to assessing the needs of a bereaved young person and ensuring that appropriate support is given.
Reviewed by Liz Koole, senior practitioner, Winston's Wish, a charity providing help to grieving children and their families.
Review from the Young People Now Magazine, October 2006
