WILTSHIRE CHARITY IS HELPING BEREAVED CHILDREN DEAL WITH THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

Wiltshire Treehouse, a children’s bereavement charity that works across Swindon and Wiltshire, is seeking to raise awareness about the effect coronavirus could have on children and young people, and the help that it can offer. As well as bringing back difficult feelings for children who have already experienced the death of someone special, deaths caused by coronavirus will lead to more children losing a loved one.

“It’s really important for young people to get help with their grief if they are struggling, particularly because being in lockdown allows your mind to run away with itself.” says Chloe Robinson, a peer supporter with Wiltshire Treehouse who received help from the charity after her Grandad died. “It is normal to think about the people we have already lost, and to worry about losing more loved ones, but it is really scary to be thinking about these things and have no-one to talk to.”

Wiltshire Treehouse are using phone and online support to help those in need, at a time when face to face help is not possible. Kath Brownlee, Bereavement Service Lead says “We anticipate that deaths from the coronavirus will present some unique challenges for families and their children. Social distancing means that saying goodbye to loved ones can be difficult, and some deaths will be sudden and unexpected. We can provide young people with an outlet for their feelings, whilst assisting parents to better understand how to help their grieving child.”

Details on how families can get help from Wiltshire Treehouse can be found at www.wiltshiretreehouse.org.uk