Jardine to lead debate on support for bereaved children

Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine will lead a Backbench Business Debate on Government Support for Bereaved Children tomorrow (26th) as part of a campaign to make sure affected families receive the help they need.  

Christine has previously introduced a private members bill, the Bereavement Support (Children and Young People) Bill, that requires clear guidance to be given to councils, schools and other public bodies on how to ensure every bereaved child knows where to find bespoke support.  

Leading charities such as Winston’s Wish offer individual or group counselling sessions and other online services, but there is currently no process for notifying a bereaved child of where they can access support.

Christine Jardine MP said:

“Me and my sisters lost our Dad far too young, so achieving this change is incredibly important to me.

“I have been heartened by Minister’s commitments on progressing support for vulnerable children after losing a parent or carer, but I want to see concrete commitments to get this support in place.  

“Working with Winston’s Wish I’ve heard what help children want. In the most difficult time of their lives, family should be supported, rather than left trying to find what they need.  

“I want every child, regardless of their postcode or experience to have access to the same support, and if we know where those affected are, we can make their lives so much easier.”