Column: New pack launched to help children deal with loss and grief

Last week a new education resource was launched.

It was put together by Strathcarron Hospice, St Francis Xavier’s RC Primary School, Falkirk, and the Universities of Strathclyde and Edinburgh.

The Resilience Project: Educating and Supporting Children around Death, Dying and Bereavement consists of five lessons covering the subjects of death, loss and grief.

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The lessons are aimed at pupils aged nine to 12 years and address experiences and outcomes across Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence.

It was designed in response to children’s questions about death and bereavement and aims to ensure that children have access to education about death and grief as a normal part of the life cycle.

Children ask interesting, relevant (and often amusing) questions about death and dying. But often adults, whether they be parents, teachers or in other roles, aren’t quite sure how to respond and often avoid the subject where possible. This can often have a negative effect on children’s understanding, experience and development.

Funded by Strathcarron Hospice, Dr Sally Paul started this journey in 2012, working with two schools in the Falkirk area.

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Now this Resilience package is freely available to support teachers to actively include the subject of death, grief and loss as a normal part of the curriculum in a positive way.

More information can be found on the Strathcarron Hospice website.