Bereavement Policy

Bereavement Policy for St John the Baptist’s College

September 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contents page

 

 

Section		Page
1	Introduction and purpose of the policy	3
1.1	Background and rationale	3
1.2	Policy links	4
1.3	Purpose of the policy	4
2	Our charter for bereaved children and young people	5
3	Safeguarding, confidentiality, and recording	6
4	Roles and responsibilities in dealing with bereavement	6
4.1	Role of the governing body	6
4.2	Role of the Principal	7
4.3	Role of staff	7
4.4	Role of the Education Authority’s Critical Incident Response Team - CIRT	8
5	Procedures	8
5.1	Pre-bereavement	8
5.2	Following a bereavement	9
5.3	Following a sudden and unexpected death - suicide	12
5.4	Following a sudden and unexpected death - homicide	13
6	Equality and inclusion, values and beliefs	14
7	Young asylum seekers and refugees	14
8	Supporting staff	14
8.1	Support for bereaved staff	14
8.2	Staff training	15
9	Curriculum	15
10	Additional information and links	16
10.1	Who is supporting us	16

 

 

 

 

1       Introduction

 

1.1    Background and rationale

St John the Baptist’s College is a nurturing school which strives to ensure that all children feel safe when with us. In SJBC, we value the personal, moral, social, and spiritual development of each of our students, encouraging respect for self and others including the core values of honesty, kindness, empathy, integrity, and compassion.

 

• An estimated 46,300 dependent children (aged 0-17) are bereaved of a parent each year. That’s 127 children newly bereaved each day in Northern Ireland and the UK.
• 1 in 29 five to sixteen-year-olds has been bereaved of a parent or sibling - that's a child in every average class. 
• Many more are bereaved of a grandparent, sibling, friend, or other significant person.

Experiencing a bereavement can make children more vulnerable. Bereavement, whether it is an expected death because of illness or a sudden and unexpected death or suicide, is something that can impact on members of our school community at any time.

Our school is committed to the emotional health and wellbeing of its staff and pupils. We wish to work towards this in all aspects of school life, and to provide an ethos, environment, and curriculum that prepares pupils for coping with bereavement.

This policy is for all staff, pupils, parents and carers, governors, visitors, and partner agencies working within the school. It provides guidelines and procedures as to how our school can best prepare for, and respond to, bereavement in the school community.

We recognise that members of the school community will be affected by a range of losses including separation and divorce. Some aspects of this policy may also be helpful in these cases.

1.2    Policy links

 

This policy also links to the following other policies we hold in school:

• Safeguarding and Child Protection policy
• Critical Incident Policy
• Addressing bullying policy
• Health and Safety policy

1.3    Purpose of the policy

This bereavement policy supports us to provide effective support to pupils and staff before and after bereavement. It covers both expected and unexpected deaths.

Empathic understanding in the familiar and secure surroundings of school may be all the bereavement support some children and staff require. However, we also need to be prepared to call on more specialist support where there is a sudden and unexpected death, or where the impact of a bereavement is complex.

The objectives of this policy are to:

• enhance effective communication at a difficult time………………………
  
  
• clarify the pathway of support between school, family, community, and services
  
  
• make best use of the support available in school and in the wider community.

2       Our charter for bereaved children and young people

To help us meet the objectives of this policy we have adopted the Winston’s Wish Charter for Bereaved Children and will display this in appropriate staff areas and on our website.

 

B	Bereavement support Bereaved children need to receive support from their family, from their school, and from important people around them. We will signpost them to specialist support if needed.
E	Express feelings and thoughts We will help bereaved children to find appropriate ways to express all their feelings and thoughts associated with grief, such as sadness, anxiety, confusion, anger, and guilt.
R	Remember the person who has died We understand that bereaved children have the right to remember the person who has died for the rest of their lives. We will support them to share special and difficult memories.
E	Education and information All children, particularly bereaved children, are entitled to receive answers to their questions. They also need information that clearly explains what has happened, why it has happened and what will be happening. We will strive to enable children to have their questions answered, through the PSHE curriculum, on an individual basis, working with parents and carers or through support services.
A	Appropriate response from schools and colleges Bereaved children need understanding and support from their teachers and fellow students without having to ask for it. We will provide training to ensure this happens.
V	Voice in important decisions We will work with families to encourage them to involve bereaved children in important decisions that have an impact on their lives such as planning the funeral and remembering anniversaries.
E	Enjoyment We will support the bereaved child’s right to enjoy their lives even though someone important has died.
M	Meet others We will try where possible to enable bereaved children to benefit from the opportunity to meet other children who have had similar experiences.
E	Established routines We will endeavour, whenever possible, to enable bereaved children to continue activities and interests so that parts of their lives can still feel ‘normal’.
N	Not to blame We will help bereaved children to understand that they are not responsible, and not to blame for the death.
T	Tell the story We will encourage bereaved children to tell an accurate and coherent story of what has happened. We know this is helpful to them particularly if these stories are heard by those important people in their lives.

 

3       Safeguarding, confidentiality, and recording

 

We follow our school’s safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure that the welfare of the child remains paramount throughout, and that all children are protected from harm. Confidentiality is paramount; however, pupils will need to be made aware that complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.

To retain the trust of pupils and parents and carers, we will ensure that the sharing of appropriate information is kept to a minimum. Sensitive information will only be disclosed internally or externally with careful attention to the rights and needs of individuals and in line with general data protection regulation.

If a child is suffering from trauma, we will share this as appropriate with staff, but not necessarily the details of their experience.

We will discuss with the bereaved child and their family which adults in the school community they would like made aware of the experiences impacting on the child.

We will use our usual school procedures – Safeguarding and Child Protection documentation and SIMS Pupil Passports - to record when a child has experienced a close bereavement, is at risk of suicide, or has made a suicide attempt.

 

4       Roles and responsibilities in dealing with bereavement

4.1    The role of the governing body is to:

• approve the bereavement policy and ensure its implementation
  
  
• ensure the policy is reviewed every three years or when national or local policy directs a change
  
  
• ensure that appropriate attention is given to how bereavement issues are addressed within the curriculum
  
  
• ensure that approaches to bereavement are respectful of religious and cultural values and beliefs
  
  
• ensure that staff are given appropriate opportunities for training, reflection, and access to support if they need it.

4.2    The role of the Principal and Senior Leadership Team is to:

• lead a whole-school approach to the effective management of loss and bereavement including ensuring appropriate training and support provided for staff
• contact the Education Authority Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) in the case of a sudden and unexpected death or suicide.
  
  
• be the first point of contact for family/child/staff directly affected by a bereavement

• record bereavements affecting children
  
  
• designate liaison and support to other trained members of staff when appropriate
  
  
• monitor progress in supporting those impacted by a bereavement and liaise with external agencies
  
  
• keep the governing body appropriately informed
  
  
• deal with media enquiries with the permission of the bereaved family and under the direction of the Critical Incident Response Team.

 

4.3    The role of all staff in our school is to:

 

• access bereavement support training and disseminate learning to other staff if appropriate
  
  
• know how to access support for themselves, for other staff and for the family, if advice or information is needed
  
  
• know how to report a concern if the bereavement or sudden and unexpected death has placed a child at significant risk of harm
  
  
• know how to support a child when they are distressed and how to refer to specialist support if needed
  
  
• have a basic understanding of a child’s needs when facing loss and change

• provide individual support as and when needed and in consultation with the Principal, the Safeguarding Team, and the Pastoral Team, and the Education Authority’s Critical Incident Response Team
  
  
• teach about loss and bereavement as part of the planned curriculum or in the role of tutor (teachers only)
  
  
• inform the Principal at the earliest possibility if they hear about a death of someone in the school community

 

4.4    The role of the Education Authority’s Critical Incident Response Team

 

The Education Authority, in seeking to provide an effective response, has a procedure in place to ensure that appropriate support is available to assist schools.

The role of the Education Authority’s Critical Incident Response Team is to enhance the school's safeguarding and pastoral care system by providing advice, support, and resources to allow the school staff to successfully manage a critical incident.

The Critical Incident Response Team Coordinator will speak with the Principal to gather the facts of the situation and will provide advice and guidance and arrange for member/s of the EA critical incident response team to be available in school for support, if required.

5       Procedures

 

5.1    Pre-bereavement

 

In some situations, it is known in advance that a death is going to occur. This is usually because of a long illness.

In cases where this is an adult within the school community, individual conversations will be held with the Principal in terms of support, information exchange and practical considerations.

When the expected death is of a child or a member of a child’s family we will:

• contact the family to confirm factual information and explore what support could be provided to them
  
  
• identify a key point of contact in school (Mrs N Murray – Principal or Ms S Murphy – Designated Safeguarding Teacher) in terms of information exchange and to update when things change
  
  
• ensure that all relevant adults are clear about what information has and needs to be shared with the pupil
  
  
• keep lines of communication open to ensure that all information is received in a timely fashion
  
  
• explore the possibility of signposting to other organisations such as Winston’s Wish or Barnardo’s Child Bereavement service, for example
  
  
• look to involve faith or community leaders when appropriate and with the agreement of the family
  
  
• explore what support for the pupils affected might look like in practice
  
  
• arrange training for specific members of staff to ensure all involved are confident in their ability to support the pupil
  
  
• if appropriate, consider and reflect on how to communicate with the wider school community for example the pupil’s class mates
  
  
• if appropriate, begin conversations around practical considerations in the events leading up to the death and following the death

 

5.2    Following a bereavement

 

We will consider each individual situation carefully to ensure that the response from the school is sensitive, accurately reflects the gravity of the situation, and involves those affected as appropriate.

 

As an immediate response we will:

• contact the deceased’s family with the aim to establish the facts and avoid rumours (Principal, Vice Principal, or Designated Safeguarding Teacher)
  
  
• consider any religious beliefs that may affect the timing of the funeral or impact on other aspects of the bereavement process
  
  
• find out, if possible, how the family would like the information to be managed by the school

• allocate member(s) of staff to be the key point(s) of support for the affected child / young person or children / young people and ensure there is support in place for the staff members if required

• send letters or cards of condolence to families or individuals directly affected
  
  
• will prepare a press statement, with support from the Education Authority’s communications team if required and with due regard to the family affected (Principal)
  
  
• inform staff of the death before pupils are informed, recognising that some pupils may have found out through other means. Where possible, staff will be prepared (through prior training) to share information in age-appropriate ways to make sure all staff have the same version of the event. Where this has not been possible, staff will be supported to share the information

• Be aware of the impact the death may have on staff and pupils who have experienced a similar bereavement and make adjustments where necessary
  
  
• inform pupils who are most directly affected (such as a friendship group), preferably in small groups, by someone known to them and in keeping with the wishes of the family and expertise of the school
  
  
• inform the wider school community in line with the wishes of the family. We would normally do this through assemblies and / or a Gateway message to parents
  
  
• make small changes to the school timetable to accommodate the needs and wellbeing of the child or children affected by the situation, for example through emergency Nurture provision. However, we will aim for minimal disruption to the timetable as this can offer a sense of security and familiarity.

 

For the funeral we will:

 

• find out the family’s wishes and follow these in terms of the involvement of members of the school community (or not)
  
  
• identify which staff and pupils may want to attend and the practicalities of issues such as risk assessment, staff cover, and transport. In some rare circumstances it may be appropriate to close the school
  
  
• organise tributes such as flowers or a collection in line with family wishes and the wishes of staff and pupils
  
  
• be sensitive to religious and cultural issues.

 

After the funeral we will:

• consider whether it is appropriate to visit the child and family affected at home and plan a return to school
  
  
• ensure friendships are secure – peer support can be particularly important for a bereaved child or young person
  
  
• continue regular contact with the family and show we still care about them and their child over time
  
  
• monitor the emotional needs of staff and pupils and provide listening time and ongoing appropriate support

• consider practical issues and make thoughtful and sensitive updates to parental and other contact details when needed
  
  
• continue to assess the needs of children most affected, and record and plan for support accordingly.

Longer term, we will:

• be aware that the impact of bereavement follows a child throughout their school life. So, we will record information and share with relevant people, particularly at transition points. This could include ensuring significant dates and events for the child are recorded and shared with appropriate staff for future reference. Pupils will be invited to mark these significant dates with reflection time spent in the SJBC Oratory

• signpost families to bereavement support including that provided by Winston’s Wish - https://www.winstonswish.org/about-us/ and Family Support NI – https://www.familysupportni.gov.uk/

• ensure that learning about loss and bereavement is embedded into appropriate curriculum areas including PSHE education. When teaching about loss and bereavement we will give careful thought as to how to support those directly affected by loss and bereavement.

5.3    Following a sudden and unexpected death – suicide

Suicide is not just a really difficult event to deal with; it also presents the unique risk of potentially being the trigger for another suicide.

As described in section 4.3 we will seek advice from the Principal, the Safeguarding Team, and the Pastoral Team, and the Education Authority’s Critical Incident Response Team. As a school community we will make a response to a sudden death within two school days.

It is necessary to maintain the structure and order of the school routine, while facilitating the expression of grief, and reducing the risk of imitative suicide.

In the case of suicide, we will refer to The Samaritans Step by Step Guide. https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/schools/step-step/ and PIPS Suicide Prevention - https://pipscharity.com/

Information provided to the school community in the immediate aftermath of a sudden and unexpected death will depend on the age of the pupils but should be based on and reinforce:

• facts (not rumours)
  
  
• an understanding that death is permanent
  
  
• an exploration of normal and wide-ranging reactions to sudden and unexpected death – expressions of anger and guilt are entirely normal
  
  
• an understanding that, with support, people can cope
  
  
• an understanding that fleeting thoughts of suicide are not unusual
  
  
• an awareness of suicidal warning signs and resources available to help
  
  
• an understanding of expectations around funerals.

When discussing any suicide that has occurred, we will ensure that the information given is age appropriate and:

• is factually correct but does not include detail of the suicidal act itself, and does not romanticise, glorify, or vilify the death
  
  
• does not include details of any suicide note
  
  
• does not include speculation over the motive for suicide
  
  
• takes care with the language used – for example using phrases such as ‘died by suicide’ or ‘ended his / her life’ rather than ‘committed suicide’ or ‘successful suicide’, and saying ‘attempted to end his / her life’ rather than ‘unsuccessful suicide’ or ‘failed attempt at suicide’.

 

5.4    Following a sudden and unexpected death – homicide

 

The Childhood Bereavement Network and Winston’s Wish estimate that around one child every day is bereaved of a parent or sibling through murder or manslaughter in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

 

Children may experience profound and lasting shock, enormous anger at what has happened, rage at the person who caused their relative to die, deep fear at the perceived insecurity of the world around them. Sadly, in many cases, the person who caused the death is also known to the child, resulting in great confusion and a double loss, for example, if one parent kills the other and is then imprisoned. In some families, the child may have to move to a new house, school, area – away from familiar and comforting places and routines.

St John the Baptist’s College aims to take an honest and consistent age appropriate approach to talking with children about what has happened. It is not possible to shield them from what has happened completely. Families will be offered timely and targeted support to help with coping with such a loss.

 

6       Equality and inclusion, values, and beliefs

We recognise that there is a range of cultural and religious beliefs, customs, and procedures concerning death. It follows that bereaved children and families may have differing expectations.

Some of these may affect matters of school organisation. We will source training and guidance to develop our understanding of the range of beliefs to best support our pupils.

We will present a balance of different approaches to death and loss. We will make pupils aware of differing responses to bereavement, and that we need to value and respect each one of these.

 

7       Young asylum seekers and refugees

 

Many young asylum seekers and refugees have experienced the death of family members or friends, often in traumatic circumstances. This, and further traumatic experiences and losses, can have a devastating effect on their emotional and physical health, behaviour, learning, and relationships. 

Sudden traumatic death complicates the process of grief and mourning, as usual ways of coping may be overwhelmed. We will consult specialist mental health services and will liaise with EAL services where appropriate.

8       Supporting staff

8.1 Support for bereaved staff

We are aware that staff also experience bereavement. When this happens, we will ensure they are provided with support to take care of themselves, and to know where they can go for additional help should they need it.

This could include: their GP; Cruse Bereavement Care http://www.cruse.org.uk/; or staff counselling, information, and advice from https://www.inspirewellbeing.org/

We will work within our leave of absence policy to ensure staff are provided with appropriate leave and support at a time of bereavement.

Teachers who are dealing with their own bereavement are encouraged to speak with their Leader or Learning about any areas of the curriculum which they feel uncomfortable to teach or want support to teach.

8.2    Staff training

We will ensure that regular training is provided to staff to support staff in meeting their roles and responsibilities as identified in this policy.

 

9       Curriculum

 

Children and young people explore the concept of loss, bereavement, and grief as part of the statutory elements of our PSHE curriculum. It is also addressed through cross-curricular opportunities such as body changes or life cycles, as well as through Art, Literacy, and Religious Education. 

When appropriate, we respond to a tragedy or serious incident by discussing this in class having discussed as a staff team the language we will use to respond to the incident.

Teachers are provided with training on how to deliver this sensitive area of the curriculum within a safe, learning environment. We also point parents and carers towards appropriate advice on how to talk to their children about these events when necessary.

We will answer any questions relating to loss or death in a sensitive, age-appropriate, honest, and factual way. Children and young people will not be expected to disclose any personal experiences but will be signposted to support if they want it.

We give children opportunities to learn about and discuss cultural and religious issues around death and encourage them to express their own responses and feelings.

 

10     Additional support and links

10.1  National support services and support resources

 

As part of PSHE and our safeguarding work we will also signpost to appropriate sources of support for pupils and adults in the school community.

 

Winston’s Wish: www.winstonswish.org Support information and guidance for bereaved children, young people, and for those caring for bereaved families.

 

Cruse Bereavement Care: www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk Support for anyone who has been bereaved.

PIPS Suicide Prevention: https://pipscharity.com/ Provides counselling and support to individuals who are experiencing or have experienced suicidal thoughts or mental unwellness, and outreach support for families affected by suicide.

 

Inspire Wellbeing Support: https://www.inspirewellbeing.org/ Free counselling support for staff.

 

Childhood Bereavement Network: http://www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk Support for childhood bereavement.

Hope Again: http://hopeagain.org.uk/ A website for young people who have been bereaved.

Papyrus: https://papyrus-uk.org/ Support and advice for young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and anyone worried about a young person.

Samaritans: http://www.samaritans.org/your-community/supporting-schools A range of guidance and support for schools.