Product reviews for The Little Book of Bereavement for Schools

From the foreword to the resources list at the end, I found this a totally absorbing read. When we see a child in any kind of distress we try to alleviate that as quickly as possible. The pain of bereavement is not one that can be rubbed better, or had a sticky plaster put on top of and we can feel at a loss as to how to "Make it better" when in actual fact we cant. Sometimes people can feel that if they ignore it then they wont do any additional harm. It gave the clear message that doing nothing is not an option, and talked quite bluntly of the professional responsibility we have as teachers to build and maintain the well-being of our pupils.

The mini chapters - each with their own distinctive flavour, built a step-by-step picture of actions a school can take that can (and at times cant) be helpful. I have come away knowing the key things I need to put in place for when (not if) a child is faced with some kind of bereavement in my school. It is a book I shall be recommending to all members of my senior leadership team with a view to including it on the whole staff INSET reading list.

Many thanks to Ian Gilbert and his family for sharing their experiences in such an open and honest manner. I feel they will have helped many children and staff during terribly difficult and traumatic times, making one of lifes taboo subjects (particularly for those who teach very young children) something which can be discussed.