Coping with loss: the development and evaluation of a children's bereavement project

Abstract

■ The 'Kingfisher Project' is a community-based programme of support groups for bereaved children

■ It has been developed by a multi-disciplinary group of workers from health, education, social services and the voluntary sector

■ Thirty-six children and young people have have been through the first five groups of the programme

■ Children accessing the service are predominantly those at high risk of developing longer-term problems as a result of bereavement

■ Evaluation indicates that the children and young people benefit in terms of increased social, behavioural, emotional and physical well-being

■ Two sub-groups appear to have benefited less: these are children and young people with learning difficulties, and teenage girls

■ Project evaluation has enabled workers to develop insights into the programme's strengths and weaknesses and has raised questions which merit further exploration