Alder Centre (for parents and families)

The Alder Centre is a place like no other, providing bereavement care and education for anyone affected by the death of a child of any age.

The Snowdrop Team 

The experienced, specialist Snowdrop Team provide a 24 hour, 365 days a year response service to families whose child dies at, or is brought to, Alder Hey following their death. One of their Bereavement Care Workers will be available to support the family within an hour of a child’s death and in the weeks following.

Other ways the Snowdrop Team support families:

• Practical and emotional support when a child’s family comes to Alder Hey for a post-mortem
• Liaising with the Coroners Officers, registrars, police, funeral directors or safeguarding team
• Preparing paperwork and supporting a family when they take their child to their appointed funeral director or hospice
• Arrange visits and support families during visits to the bereavement suites
• Complete mementos
• Whatever a family may need in the immediate hours and days following a child’s death, The Snowdrop Team can help

Further information about the snowdrop team can be found here: www.alderhey.nhs.uk/services/alder-centre/support-when-a-child-dies/



You can call the Alder Centre on 0151 252 5391

Alternatively, you can email the Alder Centre at alder.centre@alderhey.nhs.uk 

Website: www.alderhey.nhs.uk/services/alder-centre

Apart of Me (for children, young people, and parents)

Apart of Me is a charity dedicated to supporting children, young people, and parents through loss and trauma. At the core of what they do is a multi-award-winning therapeutic game, which was co-created by experts in child psychology and bereaved young people. It translates bereavement-counselling techniques into a magical 3D world and is totally free to use.

The game is aimed at young people aged 11+. Research shows that the core audience is 13-16 year olds. However, they know from feedback that adults and younger children, who play while accompanied by an adult, also find the game helpful and meaningful.

The Apart of Me game is now available on the iOS App Store and on Google Play.

Further information can be found here: www.apartofme.app

At a Loss (all age)

AtaLoss.org is a bereavement signposting and information service - everything a bereaved person needs in one place, for comprehensive, holistic and tailored support. The service doesn't offer a bereavement support line themselves, but you can use their website to find the most relevant support service for you. Website: www.ataloss.org 

AtaLoss also runs the widely acclaimed The Bereavement Journey peer support programme for adults, effective for all bereavement circumstances, whether recent or long ago, offered in over 300 locations across the UK. The Bereavement Journey is run online three times per year for anyone in the UK who isn’t able to access an in-person course near to where they live, or who would prefer an online course. The course runs for seven consecutive weeks where the final session is optional: www.thebereavementjourney.org/national-online-course

Child Bereavement UK (for children, young people, and parents)

Child Bereavement UK helps families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. They support children and young people (up to the age of 25) when someone important to them has died or is not expected to live. The service supports parents and the wider family when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying.

This includes free, confidential bereavement support for individuals, couples, children, young people, and families, by telephone, video or instant

messenger, wherever you live in the UK. They also offer face-to-face support from a number of locations.

The following support groups run at various times, by video and/or in person in some areas of the UK. Please contact the Helpline to find out how you can access a group after an initial appointment.

• Groups for families - facilitated groups for bereaved families where children aged 4-12 and their adult carers can meet others and explore their feelings through creative activities over several sessions or on one day as a Day to Remember. 
• Groups for young people - facilitated groups for those between the ages of 11 and 25 to meet for social activities and to work on creative projects
• Groups for parents - facilitated groups for bereaved parents and carers to meet in a supportive environment

Contact details for the North of England:

Helpline: 0800 02 888 40

Email: northsupport@childbereavementuk.org

Website: www.childbereavementuk.org

Child Death Helpline (anyone affected)

The Child Death Helpline is dedicated to provide a quality Freephone service to anyone affected by the death of a child of any age – whether they are parents, grandparents, siblings, family members, friends or involved professionals.

The Child Death Helpline is staffed by volunteers, all of them bereaved parents. All of our volunteers are trained, supervised and supported by professional teams within The Alder Centre at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.

A freephone service for all those affected by the death of a child: ​0800 282 986
Our confidential helpline is open every day of the year.

Monday to Friday 10:00 to 13:00
Monday to Sunday 19:00 to 22:00

Leaflet

Website: www.childdeathhelpline.org.uk

Childhood Bereavement Network (for children and young people)

The Childhood Bereavement Network (CBN) is a specialist membership organisation, working together to support bereaved children and young people.

The network offers advice and guidance for bereaved children, young people, their families and communities. There is a section on their website where you can find information about different elements of bereavement: www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk/if-you-need-help-around-death/bereaved-children-and-families 

Chrysalis Centre - Journey Through Grief (Women only)

This program is for women experiencing bereavement through the loss of a significant person (parent, partner, adult or child). The sessions offer emotional support and help women find their path through grief and help to reconnect with themselves. To access the service, you can self refer or a professional referral can be made by completing the online form here: www.chrysaliscentre.org/referrals

Based: 1st Floor, Beacon Building, 25 College Street, St Helens, Merseyside WA10 1TF

Telephone: 0300 102 0044

Mobile: 07451 273 710 (text only)

Email: info@chrysaliscentre.org

Website: www.chrysaliscentre.org

Cruse UK (for adults)

Cruse UK offer support through their website, national helpline, group, zoom, telephone or one-to-one in person support. They want to make sure everyone grieving gets the help they need in a way that works for them.  The service has a specially trained dedicated team of 4,000 bereavement volunteers. Their volunteers are trained in all types of bereavement and can help you make sense of how you're feeling right now.

One to One Support  -  Cruse UK offer one to one sessions with one of their trained bereavement supporters. These usually take place over the phone or via a video call. You’ll normally see one of the volunteers between one and six times. One to one support offers a safe, confidential space for you to explore emotions. It helps to you explore feelings and thoughts and make sense of your world. It can be very helpful if you are feeling a lot of distress.

Grief Booklets  -   On their website you can find a range of booklets to read on understanding grief and ways to cope.

Telephone: 0808 808 1677

Website: www.cruse.org.uk

Internal only: In January 2022, some staff completed bereavement training with Cruse UK. You can download the Post Workshop Pack here.

Good Grief Trust (for young people & adults)

The Good Grief Trust exists to help all those affected by grief in the UK. Their vision is to help those bereaved from day one, acknowledge their grief and provide reassurance, a virtual hand of friendship and ongoing support. They have resources you can read on their website, specific to certain situations. For example, if you have lost a child, partner, parent, sibling or friend. Additionally, the website includes important information which may help such as: What to do when someone dies, Funerals, Things to Consider.

There is a section on the Good Grief website, specifically for Young People. This is a safe, light-hearted place where you can try and wrap your head around grief, in your own time at your own pace. Here you can watch videos, read blogs and listen to music from selected playlists. The page has links that will take you to other helpful websites, whether you need a helpline or something to take your mind off things. www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/find-support/for-young-people 

There is a section on the Good Grief website, specifically for Over 50's who have been through a loss in later life. Hopefully, this page offers you some comfort, information and support. The page includes films of others who have also suffered a bereavement and who may be able to give you some advice on what helped them to cope with their grief after they lost someone close. The page has information on books you may like to read, befriending services and helplines which you may like to try: www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/find-support/for-over-50s

If you require immediate bereavement support, please visit the 'Find Support section' on their website where there is a list of numbers and web links for national helplines. Website: www.thegoodgrieftrust.org

Grief Encounter (for children and young people)

Grief Encounter provide free, professional and specialist bereavement support service to children and young people. This includes a national, free and confidential helpline called grief talk offering web chat service too. Their website has separate pages with support for: parents, young people under 12, young adults aged 12-18 and young adults aged 18-25.

Telephone: 0808 802 0111 (Weekdays 9:30am-3pm)

Email: bereavementsupport@griefencounter.org.uk

Website: www.griefencounter.org.uk 

Hope Again (for young people)

Hope Again is the youth website of Cruse Bereavement Support. It is a safe place where you can learn from other young people, how to cope with grief, and feel less alone. It has been created for young people, by young people. Hope Again offers support, advice and a type of signposting service, solely online to children and young people who have lost a loved one/s. The charity want to break the isolation that grief brings, by providing a space for young people to explore their grief and feel less alone. There isn't a local branch in St Helens, however their website offers further information and you can talk to one of their trained volunteers by telephone/email.

If you are a young person and someone you know has died, why not send a private email to hopeagain@cruse.org.uk to one of their trained volunteers.

If you want to talk to someone directly, call free phone helpline on 0808 808 1677.

Website: www.hopeagain.org.uk

Local Groups (open to all)

Bereavement Group - Church Hall at Our Ladies Portico - in process of checking

A bereavement support group is held at 2.00pm the last Wednesday of each month, in the Church Hall at Our Ladies Portico.

Address: Our Lady’s Portico, Portico Lane, Prescot, St Helens, L34 2QT

Phone: 0151 4266251

Website: www.sthelenschurchaction.org/listing/bereavement-support-group

Bereavement Café at Green Acres Rainford 

Held on the last Saturday of each month, 10:30am -12:30pm. Booking is advised. Further information can be found here: www.greenacresgroup.co.uk/support-resources/blog/bereavement-cafe-at-rainford-park

Poster can be downloaded here: Bereavement Café at Rainford Park

Warm Connections Café at St Helens Crematorium

The Good Grief Trust Warm Connections Café runs once a month, 11am -12:30pm at the Sunrise Ceremony Hall, St Helens Crematorium.

Poster with the 2025 dates/times: Warm Connections Community Café Poster 2025

Love Jasmine (for families)

Based in Merseyside, Love Jasmine provide bereavement support to families who have a lost a child of any age from 20 weeks gestation to adulthood. They take an holistic approach to the support provided to families as they understand that everyone deals with their grief and trauma in their own way.

Counselling sessions
Love Jasmine provides both emotional and practical support. Counselling sessions are carried out face to face in their Liverpool office or they can arrange sessions via telephone or video conferencing if required.

Peer Support Groups

For many families it is important to meet others who have experienced similar losses as it helps to normalise their feelings. Love Jasmine currently provide a monthly bereaved parents group, a coffee morning open to parents and wider family members and a pregnancy after loss coffee morning. They have also introduced one off pop-up groups and details of these groups can be found on their social media channels.

Therapies

Self-care is important in developing coping strategies and Love, Jasmine offer various services to bereaved parents, grandparents and older siblings. Alongside Yoga classes the service also offers complimentary therapies such as aromatherapy massage, hot stone massage, reiki, hopi candles, aromatic facials and reflexology.

Based at: 10 Tapton Way, Wavertree Business Village Liverpool  L13 1DA

Telephone: 0151 459 4779

Mobile: 07566 225 253

Email: enquiries@lovejasmine.org.uk

Website: www.lovejasmine.org.uk

MEET UP - 'let's Talk about Loss'  (for 18-35 year olds)

Let’s Talk About Loss supports young people aged 18-35 who are bereaved. Whoever you’ve lost, they offer a safe space to talk about that loss in a fun, relaxed environment. They host meet ups across the UK, which are not support groups or counselling sessions. The meet ups are simply a group of young people, all with something in common, who meet up to talk honestly and openly with each other. The nearest groups are held in Liverpool and Manchester.

Alternatively, there is an online zoom meet up if this is more accessible. Details of the zoom meetings will be listed on the website or in the Let’s Talk About Loss Online Facebook group.

Email: online@letstalkaboutloss.org 

Further information can be found on their website here: www.letstalkaboutloss.org 

Survivors Of Bereavement By Suicide (for adults)

SOBS offer UK peer-led support to adults impacted by suicide loss. The service helps individuals to support each other, at the time of their loss and in the months and years that follow. They aim to provide safe, confidential environments where people can share their experiences and feelings, giving and gaining support from each other. This includes:

• Local & Virtual Groups - By entering your postcode or local town on the website, you can locate your nearest peer to peer support group. They offer both face to face and virtual support groups. The group facilitators have also been bereaved by suicide, so you will be met with understanding.

• Phone Support - you can call the SOBS national support line to talk about your loss, get help on being impacted by suicide or for information. Their phones are answered by trained volunteers who have been impacted by suicide, so they will hear you with compassion and understanding.

       Please call 0300 111 5065 (open everyday 9am-7pm).

• Email Support - Some people find it easier to write down their thoughts and feelings or ask for information when it might be difficult to pick up a phone. Like the support line, you can email volunteers who have experience of suicide bereavement. Please contact email.support@uksobs.org

• Online Forum - online community forum offers peer-to-peer support to those bereaved by suicide. You can apply to become part of the forum via the website here: www.uksobs.com
  

St Helens Council - Bereavement Help and Support

St Helens Council created a booklet to help anyone in St Helens experiencing bereavement or loss to find the services they need. The death of a loved one can be among the most difficult moments that any of us will face in our lives, and it often falls on those closest to the deceased and grieving the most to organise the funeral. The booklet includes information on:

• How to register a death
• How to arrange a funeral
• How to deal with financial arrangements
• How to find a bereavement counsellor
• Local and national support and contact details
  

You can download the booklet here: St. Helens Bereavement Document

Step-by-step guidance can also be found on the Government’s website at: www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies

Tell Us Once Service

Please also be aware of the Tell Us Once service. The service lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go. Please head to: www.gov.uk/after-a-death/organisations-you-need-to-contact-and-tell-us-once 

The Compassionate Friends (for adults)

The Compassionate Friends (TCF) is the UK’s only national charity providing peer support to bereaved parents, adult siblings and grandparents who have experienced the death of a child, sibling or grandchild. 

Their volunteers are all bereaved parents and are here to:

• Listen and care when you need someone to talk to
• Offer emotional support and an opportunity to talk through your feelings
• Put you in touch, where possible, with your nearest Local or Group Support Contact
• Offer supportive leaflets and newsletters by email or post
• Signpost you to other services and useful sources of information

You may wish to ring the Helpline once, many times or simply from time to time. You may have been bereaved for just a few weeks or months, or five, 10, 20 years or more. Everyone’s loss and way of grieving is unique so please do phone when you feel the need. 

Website: www.tcf.org.uk

Email: helpline@tcf.org.uk

UK National Helpline: 0345 123 2304

Open every day of the year from 10:00 – 16:00 and 19:00 – 22:00

Whiston and St Helens Hospital Bereavement

On the Mersey and West Lancashire NHS website, there is a page dedicated to Bereavement Support and Advice Services which provides information to help, guide and support you at this difficult time. Website: sthk.merseywestlancs.nhs.uk/our-services?service=47

The trust also created an information booklet, which you may want to read: Help for you following bereavement

Willowbrook Hospice Bereavement Service

If you are aged 18 years or over and have lost a family member, or friend, who was cared for by Willowbrook Hospice, their bereavement support team can offer you the chance to talk in a compassionate and non-judgmental environment. The team can also signpost you to any practical help you may need following bereavement. The hospice usually send a letter to the main carer within six weeks of the bereavement to offer bereavement support. However, anyone can refer themselves by contacting the hospice directly. If you are worried about a child or young person who is grieving, the hospice can put you in touch with Child Bereavement UK, an organisation they work in partnership with.

Grief and loss is a very individual experience, it’s personal, emotive and affects everyone differently. For that reason at Willowbrook they can offer bereavement support in a variety of ways that best suit you. Individual support is offered by their Family liaison and, where appropriate, the Spiritual Care Team. Further information can be found here: www.willowbrook.org.uk/i-am-bereaved

The hospice has created two guides for further support: What to do When Someone Dies and Emotional Support after Bereavement

Winston's Wish (for children and young people)

Winston’s Wish is a charity that helps children, teenagers and young adults (up to the age of 25) find their feet when their worlds are turned upside down by grief. They provide digital bereavement information, advice and support for young people across the UK who are grieving the death of someone important to them. The charity also help advise the adults who are caring for young grieving people including parents, school staff and healthcare professionals.

Telephone: 08088 020 021, 8am to 8pm weekdays (excluding Bank Holidays).

Email: ask@winstonswish.org or fill out their online contact form and the team aim to reply within two working days.

Online Chat: between 8am and 8pm, weekdays (excluding Bank Holidays). Click on the blue ‘Chat with us’ button at the bottom right of your screen.

Website: www.winstonswish.org

Urgent Support:  For urgent support, text WW to 85258 to speak with someone from their trusted partner, Shout.

Page Last Updated November 2024