CHILDREN'S GRIEF AWARENESS WEEK

That this House welcomes the campaign around Children's Grief Awareness Week from 16 to 22 November 2017, especially the concern that too many bereaved children suffer from a deep sense of loneliness; notes the finding that one in 29 children and young people in our schools have been bereaved of a parent or sibling, which is roughly one per class; acknowledges the estimate by the Childhood Bereavement Network that over 100 children are bereaved of a mum or dad each year, and many more are bereaved of a brother, sister, grandparent or someone else important in their lives; accepts that one of the best ways to help such children is to help them realise they are not alone and that there are others out there like them; and calls on the Government and local authorities both to ensure that parents, carers and schools are aware of what local child bereavement services are available in their area for children and young people and to help establish such services, working with the local voluntary sector, where such services do not already exist.