Nursery World - Young mourners talk to ChildLine

A national children's helpline has called for more help to be given to children who have experienced a recent bereavement. The call was made last week by ChildLine following the publication of its report, I can't stop feeling sad - Calls to ChildLine about bereavement, which said children experienced feelings common to those of bereaved adults.

The call was made last week by ChildLine following the publication of its report, I can't stop feeling sad - Calls to ChildLine about bereavement, which said children experienced feelings common to those of bereaved adults.

Just over four in ten (43 per cent) of callers rang to talk about the death of a parent, usually a mother. Some 31 per cent rang following a violent death, usually a car accident, though one had watched a death by suicide and had been unable to prevent it, and two had seen a murder.

Some children told the helpline they felt guilty and responsible for the death, while others said they felt angry and abandoned. Some described experiences of flashbacks and nightmares, common symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

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