Professional & School Support

Our 565 Service is here to provide support for professionals working with young people.

From top tips to bereavement training, our team are here to help you support others.

Speak to us: 0300 303 5196 (Mon-Fri, 9am–4pm) Dying to Talk Training

Advice you can give to families

The key to supporting bereaved families is to offer them a space and a way to share how they have been feeling. It is also helpful to provide information and resources on what to expect in bereavement and how to cope.

Visit our LivingGrief Parental Support page

Our 565 Service is here to provide support for parents navigating the challenging journey of supporting children during pre and post-bereavement.

This page has lots of guidance and resources to with explain death and grief to children.

There are tips on:

What to say when someone is expected to die
How to answer difficult questions
How to tell your child someone has died
Family book recommendations – for children and teenagers
What to expect in bereavement
How to deal with anxiety & apps to help
Ways to support your child
Teenager advice

Supporting their return to school

School life offers consistency in what is often a very unsettling time, so returning to the classroom can be of great benefit if it is managed properly.

It is vital schools talk with parents about the bereavement, what the child understands about it and how they are reacting to the loss. Following this, there can be an agreed support plan to help the child’s return to go smoothly.

This should include:

If the child needs a ‘time out’ from lessons, agree where they can go and who should be informed. Identify a quiet, safe space in school and a named member of staff they can comfortably talk to if upset.
Recognition that grief can be very tiring. The child is likely to have a lack of sleep and therefore may be more irritable or lack concentration. Making their teachers aware can assist understanding.
Discussion with the child regarding whom they want to know what has happened. Would they prefer the whole class to know or just their teacher and a few friends? Identify a friend in school whom they can talk to if they are upset.
Awareness that there may be days in which the child is reluctant to attend school and what arrangements are in place if they do not come in (i.e. school work).

Book recommendations for professionals

You may find the following resources useful to support talking about grief.

Storybooks

Name of book	Publisher	ISBN
When Dinosaurs Die (Laurie Brown)	Cherrytree Books	1-84234-163-4
The Fall of Freddy the Leaf (Leo Buscaglia)	Slack Inc	0-8050-1064-5
Badgers Parting Gifts (Susan Varley)	Collins	0-00-664317-5
Fred (Posy Simmonds)	Picture Puffins	0-14-151965-8
I’ll Always Tell You (Hans Wilhelm)	Picture Knight	0-340-40153-2
We Love Them (Martin Wadell & Barbara Firth)	Walker
Grandpa (John Burningham)	Puffin	0-14-050841-4
My Grandad (Sheila Isherwood)	Oxford Univerity Press	0-19-272150-X
The Lonely Tree (Nicholas Halliday)	Halliday Books	0-9539459-8-7
Saying Goodbye to a Parent (Child Bereavement Trust)	Chrysalis Books	1-84458-468-2
It Must Hurt a Lot (Doris Sanford)	Multnomah Press	0-88070-131-5
Helping Children with Loss – a Guidebook (Margot Sunderland)	Speechmark	978 0 86388 467 2
When Somebody Dies (Sheila Hollings, Sandra Dowling & Noelle Blackman)	Gaskell/St George’s Hospital	1-901242-90-0
My Brother and Me (Child Bereavement Charity)	–	978-0-9521661-2-2
Sad Book (Michael Rosen)	Walker Books	0-7445-9898-2
Up in Heaven (Emma Chichester Clark)	Anderson Press	978-1-84270-333-5
No Matter What (Debi Gliori)	Bloomsbury Paperbacks	0-7475-6331-4
Laura’s Star (Klaus Baumgart)	Magi Publications	1-85430-480-1
The Huge Bag of Worries (Virginia Ironside)	Hodder Childrens Books	978-0-340-90317-9
Feather Pillows (Rose Impey & Robin Bell Corfield)	Collins	0-00-664531-3
I Miss My Sister (Child Bereavement Charity)	–	978-0-9521661-1-5
It Isn’t Easy (Margaret Connolly)	Oxford Univerity Press	0-19-279916-9
Beginnings and Endings a with Lifetime in Between (Bryan Mellonie & Robert Ingpen)	Belitha Press	1-85561-760-9
I Miss You (Pat Thomas)	Wayland	978-0-7502-6082-4
Willy and the Wobbly House (Margot Sunderland)	Speechmark	978 0 86388 498 6
A Nifflenoo Called Nevermind (Margot Sunderland)	Speechmark	978 0 86388 496 2
Teenie Weenie in a Too Big World (Margot Sunderland)	Speechmark	917 0 86388 460 3
Why Do Things Die? (Lift the Flap First Questions & Answers)	Usborne	978-1474979887
The Girl Who Lost the Light in Her Eyes: A Storybook to Support Children and Young People Who Experience Loss (Supporting Children and Young People Who Experience Loss)	Routledge	978-0367524418
Seeds of Hope Bereavement and Loss Activity Book: Helping Children and Young People Cope with Change Through Nature	Jessica Kinglsey	978-1849055468
Ollie the Octopus Loss and Bereavement Activity Book: A Therapeutic Story with Activities for Children Aged 5-10 (Therapeutic Treasures Collection)	Jessica Kinglsey	978-1787757660
Big Tree is Sick: A Story to Help Children Cope with the Serious Illness of a Loved One	Jessica Kinglsey	978-1785922268
Remembering Lucy: A Story about Loss and Grief in a School	Jessica Kinglsey	978-1785923074
Stewart’s Tree: A Book for Brothers and Sisters When a Baby Dies Shortly after Birth	Jessica Kinglsey	978-1785923999
Rafi’s Red Racing Car: Explaining Suicide and Grief to Young Children	Jessica Kinglsey	‎ 978-1785922008

Information Books

Textbooks

Activity Books

Dying to Talk Training

Navigating the journey of grief can be challenging for anyone, but for children is can be particularly bewildering and isolating.

Our free specialised one day training course Dying to Talk is designed to equip schools with the knowledge and skills to provide compassionate and effective support to children and young people who are bereaved.

What is included in the free training?

Understanding grief in children: learn about the unique ways children perceive and process loss based on their developmental stages and consider other factors that may influence grief responses.
Ways to talk to children about loss: discover effective ways to talk to children about death and dying, providing comfort and clarity.
Ways of working with loss: develop skills to recognise when children might need support and provide suitable interventions.
Supporting pre-bereavement: explore ways to support and help prepare children when someone is expected to die.
Self-care: consider ways of looking after yourself when supporting children and families.
We will also offer guidance about what steps your school can take to being bereavement friendly.

Feedback from Dying to Talk training:

Comprehensive, sensitive and relevant training course with follow-up support.

The information and strategies I gained from the course has already been invaluable supporting our young children going through the most difficult times.

The Dying to Talk programme has given us the confidence and skills to reach out, listen, support and hold someone’s hand on their journey.

Sharing the course details has helped our staff team feel more confident addressing the subject of death and loss and we hope this proves beneficial for our school community in the short and long term.

We found the training both useful and informative.

It has given us the tools to know how to and better understand bereavement and how we can best support our children and families in school.

Book Dying to Talk Training

This free training is for school staff only including SENCOs, teachers, teaching assistants and pastoral teams. Schools are able to book up to 2 places.

Limited spaces are available and therefore priority will be given to those schools who have previously not attended the training.

Both primary and secondary schools are welcome.

Training will be delivered by Specialist Children’s Workers based at St Elizabeth Hospice who will bring their knowledge and expertise in working directly with children and families in bereavement.

Upcoming dates:

SOLD OUT – 26 June 2026 – Yare House, Centre 81, Morton Peto Road, Great Yarmouth, NR31 0LT – sign up to expression of interest to be on reserve list
9 October 2026 – St Elizabeth Hospice, Ipswich, IP3 8LX
6 November 2026 – St Elizabeth Hospice, Ipswich, IP3 8LX
20 November 2026 – Beccles Hospital, Livingston Ashford (LAU), St Mary’s Rd, Beccles, NR34 9NQ

Thank you our funders for supporting the project

Thank you to AXA, who have awarded us a grant to support us in running the Dying to Talk Training and help make a difference to children and young people in East Suffolk facing loss.

Dying To Talk Booking

Dying to Talk Booking

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9 October 2026, St Elizabeth Hospice, Ipswich, IP3 8LX

6 November 2026, St Elizabeth Hospice, Ipswich, IP3 8LX

20 November 2026, Beccles Hospital, NR34 9NQ

Dying To Talk – Reserve List

If the session you’d like to take part in is sold out, please sign up to our reserve list

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Further support for bereavement

Make a Referral to 565 Service

Parental Support

LivingGrief Bereavement Service for Adults

Name of book	Publisher	ISBN
Helping Children with Loss (Margot Sunderland)	Speechmark	978 0 86388 467 2
A Guide to Developing Good Practice in Childhood Bereavement Services (Child Bereavement Network)	–	1-904787-99-1
As Big as it Gets (Winston’s Wish)	–	953912396
Beyond the Rough Rock (Winston’s Wish)	–	0-9539123-7-X
The Invisible Suitcase (Ian Woodroffe)	–	–
When Your Partner Dies: Supporting Your Children (Child Bereavement Charity)	–	–
Someone Close to You has Died (Candle, St Christopher’s Hospice)	–	0 9528196 2 7
Helping Children with Fear (Margot Sunderland)	Speechmark	978 0 86388 464 1
Helping Children who Bottle Up their Feelings (Margot Sunderland)	Speechmark	978 0 86388 457 3
Helping Children who are Anxious or Obsessional (Margot Sunderland)	Speechmark	978 0 86388 454 2

Name of Book	Publisher	ISBN
When Parents Die (Rebecca Abrams)	Rutledge	0 415 20065 2
Bereaved Children and Teens (Earl A Grollman)	Beacon Press	0 8070 2307 8
Helping Children to Manage Loss (Brenda Mallon)	Jessica Kingsley	1 85302 605 0
Using Story Telling as a Therapeutic Tool with Children (Margot Sunderland)	Speechmark	978 0 86388 425 2
Then, Now and Always (Julie Stokes)	Winston’s Wish	0 9539123 5 3
Children and Grief (William Worden)	Guildford Press	1 57230 148 1
Healing Children’s Grief (Grace Hyslop Christ)	Oxford University Press	0 19 510591 5
The Little Book of Bereavement for Schools (Ian Gilbert)	Crown House Publishing	978 184590464 7
Straight Talk About Death for Teenagers (Earl A Grollman)	Beacon Press	0 8070 2501 1
Loss Change and Grief (Erica Brown)	David Fulton Publishers	1 85346 465 1
Grief in Children (Atle Dyregrov)	Jessica Kingsley	978 1 84310 612 8
Brief Interventions with Bereaved Children (Barbara Monroe & Frances Kraus)	Oxford University Press	0 19 852909 0
What Do We Think About Death (Karen Bryant-Mole)	Wayland	0 7502 2208 5

Name of Book	Publisher	IBSN
Bright Spots Therapeutic Fun – Bereavement Healing Cards (Lisa Marie Arneson)	–	–
The Children Who Lived (Kathryn A Markell and Marc A Markell)	Rutledge	978 0 415 95765 6
Good Grief 1 – Exploring Feelings, Loss and Death with Under Elevens (Barbara Ward)	Jessica Kingsley	1 85302 324 8
Good Grief 2 – Exploring Feelings, Loss and Death with Over Elevens ad Adults (Barbara Ward)	Jessica Kingsley	1 85302 340 X
Helping Children to Build Self Esteem (Deborah Plummer)	Jessica Kingsley	978 1 84310 488 9
Grief Encounter (Shelley Gilbert)	–	1 904787 21 5
When Someone Very Special Dies (Marge Heegaard)	Woodland Press	–
Remembering (Diane Leutner)	Child Bereavement Charity	978 0 9521661 8 4
Muddles, Puddles and Sunshine (Diana Crossley)	Winston’s Wish	978 1 903458 96 9
When Someone Special Dies – for children under 7 (Child Bereavement Charity)	–	–
When Someone Special Dies – for children 7 – 11 (Child Bereavement Charity)	–	–
When Someone Special Dies -for young people (Child Bereavement Charity)	–	–
Out of the Blue (Julie Stokes & Paul Oxley)	Winston’s Wish	1 903458 71 4
Remembering (Lorna Nelson & Tina Rae)	Sage Publications	978 1 903458 96 9
Finding a Way Through When Someone Close Has Died (Pat Mood & Lesley Whittaker)	Jessica Kingsley	1 85302 920 3
Talking with Children and Young People about Death and Dying (Mary Turner)	Jessica Kingsley	1 85302 563 1
Bothered – Helping Teenagers talk about their feelings (Margot Sunderland)	Speechmark	978 0 86388 908 0