Every 22 minutes a child in Britain is bereaved of a parent; this equates to 24,000 new children each year learning to live with a powerful range of confusing and conflicting emotions. Bottled up, these emotions can have damaging consequences in later life for the individual, their family and society as a whole.
Winston’s Wish, the charity for bereaved children, helps young people re-adjust to life after the death of a parent or sibling. By providing professional assistance before, during and after bereavement they help them to better understand the nature of loss and offer the practical support and guidance that many need in order to cope throughout the grieving process.
Now in its 20th year, Winston’s Wish has a range of services that include a national Helpline for anyone caring for or concerned about a bereaved child. Every year our Helpline supports around 3,500 families and professionals, benefiting an estimated 7,000 children.
“I was nine years old when my father died, and my brother was only four. Whilst making a ‘Child of Our Time’ I have also witnessed the impact of challenging deaths like suicide which often leave young children bewildered and confused with parents who need support to stabilise family life.
Winston’s Wish has developed a fantastic range of services which help bereaved children grow in confidence by meeting others in a similar situation. They help children build memories so that meaningful and important relationships remain safe. This is crucial for their self-identity, especially during often turbulent teenage years. From this secure base a child can grow into an adult who has a resilient life story…. Winston’s Wish is there for families when they feel most isolated – it turns vulnerability into hope and helps children to understand that there is life after a death in the family.” – Professor Lord Winston, Patron
Visit the Winston’s Wish website to find out more…
