Bereavement and Grief Toolkit
Bereavement and Grief Toolkit
Toolkit collated by Holly Coull and Malarvilie Krishnasamy
Definitions
The terms bereavement and grief are often used interchangeably, but they refer to different aspects of the experience of loss:
- Definition: Bereavement refers to the period of mourning and adjustment that follows someone’s death.
- Focus: It is more about the state or process of having experienced a loss, often linked to social or cultural customs related to mourning.
- Example: After the death of a family member, you are said to be "in bereavement," which may involve formal rituals like funerals or wearing mourning clothes.
- Definition: Grief is the emotional response to loss, encompassing the feelings of sadness, pain, anger, and longing that a person experiences when someone dies.
- Focus: It refers to the internal emotional journey and reactions to the loss, which can vary greatly from person to person.
- Example: You might feel intense grief when you think about the memories you shared with the person who has died, and this can show up in waves over time.
In short, bereavement is the state of loss, and grief is the emotional process that accompanies that loss. Bereavement can lead to grief, but grief can also occur for other types of losses, like the end of a relationship or job, not just death.
What Are the Different Types of Baby Loss?
- Miscarriage: In the UK, is a loss of pregnancy before the 24th week of pregnancy.
- Missed miscarriage: This type of miscarriage is when the pregnant person has had the usual signs of pregnancy and attends for their antenatal care or scan where no heartbeat is detected.
- Stillbirth: In the UK, is when a baby at 24 week gestation or beyond, has died in the womb or during birth.
- Ectopic pregnancy: Where the fertilised egg embeds outside of the uterus, typically in the fallopian tube. This happens early in the pregnancy.
- Molar pregnancy: Where a fertilised egg implants in the womb but the tissue that starts to rapidly develop is not normal and is known as gestational trophoblastic disease. This is classified as a tumour. This can be benign or cancerous.
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or cot death: Is the unexpected death of a baby in their first year of life.
- Neonatal loss: The death of a baby in the first month of life.
- Termination of pregnancy due to medical reasons (TFMR): Where an anomaly (life-threatening or life-altering condition) is identified and the parent makes the incredibly difficult choice to end the pregnancy.
- Losing a baby through illness or accident
- Losing a twin or multiple
Ref: Taken from ‘The Baby Loss Guide by Zoë Clark-Coates
Why Do Educators, Line Managers, Educational Workplaces Need to Be Informed about Bereavement and Grief?
Educators, line managers, and educational workplaces need to be informed about bereavement and grief, which includes baby loss, to provide compassionate, timely, and appropriate support to staff and students. Understanding the emotional impact of loss enables leaders to create a supportive environment, reduce stigma, and ensure that individuals experiencing grief have access to the necessary time off, mental health resources, and accommodations. By being informed, schools can foster a culture of empathy, address the unique needs of those affected by bereavement or grief, and promote overall well-being within the school community.
General Employment Rights in the UK Regarding Bereavement and Baby Loss Include:
1. Time Off for Dependants (Bereavement)
Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, employees, including teachers, have the right to take reasonable unpaid time off to deal with an emergency involving a dependant, which includes bereavement (such as the death of a close family member). This allows for time to arrange or attend a funeral, but the law doesn’t specify the amount of leave—what’s “reasonable” is determined by the circumstances.
2. Parental Bereavement Leave (Baby Loss)
The Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018 provides statutory rights to employees who lose a child under 18 or experience a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. This includes:
- 2 weeks of statutory leave (paid or unpaid depending on eligibility).
- Employees can take the leave in one block or split it into two separate one-week periods.
- Eligible employees can receive Statutory Parental
- Bereavement Pay (SPBP) if they meet the qualifying criteria for length of service and earnings.
In addition to these statutory rights, schools or academies may have their own policies that offer further paid or unpaid compassionate leave.
The Diverse Educators’ Bereavement and Grief Toolkit
We are collating a growing bank of resources to help you to review and develop how you support people experiencing bereavement and grief in your school. Here are some questions to reflect on:
- Support Systems: What structures or processes are currently in place in our school to support staff and students experiencing bereavement and/or grief?
- Communication: How do we ensure sensitive and appropriate communication with those affected by bereavement and/or grief? Do we provide clear guidelines for staff?
- Leave Policies: Are our bereavement and parental leave policies clear, accessible, and supportive for staff? Do they meet both legal requirements and the emotional needs of individuals?
- Training: Do our staff feel equipped and confident in offering support to colleagues and students experiencing loss? What training or resources could help improve this?
- Emotional Well-being: How do we prioritise emotional well-being for those impacted by loss, including opportunities for counselling or mental health support?
- Cultural Sensitivity: How do we ensure our approach to bereavement and/or grief is culturally sensitive and inclusive of diverse backgrounds and beliefs?
- Follow-up Support: What ongoing support do we offer to individuals after the immediate bereavement period? Do we have a system to check in with them over time?
- Student Support: How are students affected by bereavement and/or grief supported emotionally and academically? What additional resources could be provided?
- Community Involvement: How can we engage the wider school community—parents, guardians, and external services—in supporting those experiencing loss?
- Policy Review: How often do we review and update our bereavement and/or grief policies to ensure they remain relevant and effective?
These reflective questions aim to strengthen how schools provide compassionate and effective support for those experiencing loss.