{"alias":"contentPage","byline":null,"standfirst":null,"content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EThe death of someone important to us is challenging, and different people will feel different things at different times, especially young people who may not have experienced direct loss before.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThese resources have been created to help support your group, provide advice and relevant signposting to further support for if the worst should happen.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf a young person in your group dies, it\u2019s really important that all the adult volunteers in the group come together to support one another. By coming together, you\u2019ll be able to address what\u2019s happened and plan how best to support your young people, and each other. Other volunteers in your local area may also be able to help and share advice, so don\u0027t hesitate to reach out.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere is no right or wrong way to feel following a bereavement and there is no \u0027one size fits all\u0027 approach to supporting someone who is experiencing bereavement.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYou\u2019re not alone in this and we know that the death of a young person will be one of the most challenging things you\u2019ll ever have to face as Scout volunteers. You have the full backing of your local management structure, national volunteers and the staff team at Gilwell and across the UK. If you need further support, please email \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:support@scouts.org.uk\u0022\u003Esupport@scouts.org.uk\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBereavement guidance\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"accordion","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","showExpand":false,"items":[{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe grief cycle acts as a tool to identify where individuals may be on their grieving journey. It\u2019s important to realise that each person\u2019s journey is deeply personal and individuals may start at any of the five \u0027stages\u0027 and move backwards and forwards through stages as a result of internal thoughts, feeling and emotions, and external events. Some people may not go through all the stages, but everyone will display at least a few of the stages below.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are many different ways to describe the grief cycle, but here are some of the most common stages that someone goes through following a loss:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDenial:\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;The first reaction to learning about the loss of someone is often to deny the reality of the situation. This is a subconscious attempt to rationalise emotions and delay processing what has really happened. Denial is considered a primitive defence mechanism and is exceptionally common. It\u2019s used when an individual doesn\u2019t want to admit or face up to difficult areas of their life. For most, this stage will last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Some individuals may choose to isolate themselves during this period in the belief that if they do so, the reality they\u2019re facing may be untrue.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAt Scouts, this might look like a young person not attending section nights or camps. It\u2019s really important to check in with parents if this happens to see if the young person is OK and what you could do to help them come back to Scouts.\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnger:\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;The second stage of grief/loss is anger. This is exceptionally complex and can come to light in many different ways. The anger someone expresses can be aimed at inanimate object, strangers, friends/family or even the person who has died. When someone displays anger towards the person who has died, a sense of guilt normally follows, and this can lead to the individual becoming angry at themselves.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAt Scouts, this might look like young people displaying \u2018challenging\u2019 behaviour.\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBargaining:\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Bargaining, through the use of \u2018if only\u2019 statements, is a common reaction to the feeling of helplessness. Individuals may ask questions such as \u2018If only we had done this differently,\u2019 or \u2018If only I did this to help.\u2019 Individuals may feel a deep sense of guilt during this stage as they question what they could have done to prevent the situation from happening.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAt Scouts, this might look like young people becoming withdrawn or questioning things a lot more than they used to.\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDepression:\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Individuals may feel different over time and compared to other people. They may want to be alone or feel as though they need to be around others. For some individuals, they may worry about practical implications as a result of the death, such as how the group will continue to function. This is more common in individuals who had a less personal relationship with the individual who has died.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOthers may experience more emotional aspects of bidding farewell to a friend and fellow Scout. The depression stage is often more subtle and highly individual, some people will want to talk openly about how they are feeling, and others will want to distance themselves or avoid the conversation wherever possible.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAt Scouts, this could look like young people worrying whether the group will still run normally/whether activities will still be the same, young people being visibly emotional and wanting to talk about what\u0027s happened, or avoiding the conversation wherever possible.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAcceptance:\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Everyone will arrive at this stage at a different time, some may arrive at acceptance within a matter of days or weeks, for others it may take several years. This stage is about accepting what\u2019s happened \u2013 it doesn\u2019t mean that the reality of what\u2019s happened is \u2018OK\u2019 but it does mean that individuals can accept what\u2019s happened as the new \u2018normal\u2019. Individuals may feel a deep sense of guilt when they begin to enjoy themselves again following the death of someone close to them, this can be particularly painful when taking part in an activity which the person who has died used to also enjoy.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs with anyone going through an experience of grief, the stages may merge together and not everyone will go through them all. Someone with additional needs may experience confusion about why they no longer see the person who has died or have difficulty adjusting to why family members and friends are acting differently.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003ESupporting those with additional needs\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn some cases, it may not always be obvious to recognise displays of grief in someone with additional needs, but changes in their behaviour may show that they\u2019re experiencing confusion in addition to grief. Changes in behaviour can happen immediately or after several days, weeks or even months after the news of a death. The behaviours may \u2018peak\u2019 at significant times; for example holidays, Christmas or birthdays.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"The grief cycle"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIf a young person from your group dies, the UK HQ Safeguarding Team is there to offer additional support if you need it, contact them at \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Safeguarding@scouts.org.uk\u0022\u003Esafeguarding@scouts.org.uk\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe death of a young person will potentially be the most difficult thing the group will ever face. The death of a young person may affect everyone involved in the group, from young people to leaders, the trustees or even the whole community. In the event of the death of a young person, it\u2019s crucial that the group rally together and provide a strong support network for all its members.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf a young person dies, the media may reach out to the group for comment \u2013 if this happens, it\u2019s important that you \u003Ca href=\u0022/contact-us/media-enquiries/\u0022 title=\u0022Media enquiries\u0022\u003Eget in touch with the Scouts media team\u003C/a\u003E to make sure they can support you to deal with the requests. The team are here to make this challenging time easier and are seasoned professionals at dealing with the media.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf a young person has died it\u2019s important to make sure that the group contacts and speaks to their parents/carers before informing the group of the death or making plans to mark the young person\u2019s life. You must respect the wishes of the young person\u2019s family and should always involve them in your plans, if they would like to be involved.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Safeguarding and media"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen talking about the death of a young person it\u2019s crucial to use simple and direct language that\u2019s appropriate to the age of the young people you\u2019re speaking to. Euphemisms such as \u2018we lost\u2019 or the person \u2018has gone to a better place\u2019 should be avoided as these can cause confusion.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBelow you\u2019ll find some examples of how you could explain the death of a young person to the group. It\u2019s important to mention how the young person died but steer clear from any in-depth and upsetting details. Try to use wording such as \u2018their heart stopped beating and their brain stopped working\u2019 as opposed to going into any graphic detail.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EFor Beavers and Cubs\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018All living things die someday. You all will have seen this when a flower dies or when an animal dies, which some of you may not have seen but you know it happens. Well, all people die one day too, when someone dies, their body stops working and they\u2019re no longer able to move, talk or do the other things that they could when they were alive, like come to Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPeople mostly die when they are very, very old, but sometimes people can also die before they get very old, because of a serious illness or accident. Sadly, \u003Cstrong\u003E(name of young person)\u003C/strong\u003E has died. This means that we won\u2019t be able to see or talk to them any more, but the memories that we have with them are safe forever in our minds and we should remember all of the happy times that we had with them.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019re all going to miss \u003Cstrong\u003E(name of young person)\u003C/strong\u003E every week, but it will get better. Beavers/Cubs is still going to happen every week and it\u2019s completely OK to enjoy doing things that \u003Cstrong\u003E(name of young person)\u003C/strong\u003E used to enjoy \u003Cstrong\u003E(add personal content)\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/strong\u003E They would still love for us to do that and do all the things we like to do, like go on camps etc. It\u2019s fine to feel sad one week and then fine another \u2013 we can talk about it whenever you want to.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIf appropriate: (enter name of six)\u003Cem\u003E \u003C/em\u003E\u003C/strong\u003Eare going to be feeling really sad about what\u2019s happened so let\u2019s all make sure we support them wherever we can.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYou may have lots of questions and we\u2019ll try to answer as many of these as we can today, and if we don\u2019t know them, we\u2019ll try and find out the answers for you. This is a very sad and upsetting time for us all and so it\u2019s important we show our Scout values and be kind, more than ever.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s really important to remember that just because this has happened to someone your age, it does not mean it will happen to you.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIt\u2019s important to make sure that young people feel supported through this time and that they\u2019re able to cope with a friend\u2019s death. Make sure that the links on \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/supporting-young-people/bereavement-support/\u0022 title=\u0022Bereavement support\u0022\u003EBereavement support\u003C/a\u003E are shared with young people and their parents. \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EFor Scouts and Explorers\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Normally people only die when they are very, very old. But sometimes due to a serious illness or accident they can die before this. Sadly \u003Cstrong\u003E(name of young person)\u003C/strong\u003E has died.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe know this will come as a shock to many of you and you may have lots of questions and we\u2019ll try to answer as many of these as we can today, and if we don\u2019t know them, we\u2019ll try and find out the answers for you. This is a very sad and upsetting time for us all and so it\u2019s important we show our Scout values, now more than ever.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019re all going to miss \u003Cstrong\u003E(name of young person)\u003C/strong\u003E every week, but it will get better. Scouts/Explorers is still going to happen every week and it\u2019s completely OK to enjoy doing things that \u003Cstrong\u003E(name of young person)\u003C/strong\u003E used to enjoy \u003Cstrong\u003E(add personal content)\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/strong\u003E They would still love for us to do that and do all the things we like to do like go on camps etc. It\u2019s fine to feel sad one week and then fine another.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIf appropriate: (enter patrol)\u003C/strong\u003E are going to be feeling really sad about what\u2019s happened so let\u2019s all make sure we support them wherever we can.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you\u2019re struggling and feel like you want to talk to someone about what\u2019s happened there are many different charities and organisations that offer support.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIt\u2019s important to make sure that young people feel supported through this time and that they\u2019re able to cope with a friend\u2019s death. Make sure that the links on \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/supporting-young-people/bereavement-support/\u0022 title=\u0022Bereavement support\u0022\u003EBereavement support\u003C/a\u003E are shared with young people and their parents. \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EFor parents \u2013 as soon as the group knows of the death\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s important to keep parents up to date on what\u2019s happened and what you\u2019re going to be covering at Scouts, so they\u2019re prepared for any questions they may get from their young people. Here\u2019s some example text for how to talk to parents about what\u2019s happened:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018It\u2019s with great sadness that we must announce the death of \u003Cstrong\u003E(name of young person)\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs a group, we\u2019re going to be speaking about this with the young people on \u003Cstrong\u003E(enter date)\u003C/strong\u003E. We\u2019re going to focus on what\u2019s happened and how we can mark our happy memories and celebrate the life of \u003Cstrong\u003E(name of young person)\u003Cem\u003E.\u0026nbsp; \u003C/em\u003E\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s often easier for young people to hear about this news from parents/carers as opposed to at Scouts with all their friends. If you\u2019re able to, please share this news with your young person before we meet at Scouts. If you would like to discuss this further before talking to your young person, then please let one of us know and we\u0027d be happy to have a conversation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019d like to reassure you all that Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers are still going to be running as usual and we\u2019re going to be doing our best to make sure everything runs as normally as possible. Any help that you could offer in running the section night during this difficult time would be greatly appreciated.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf your young person is finding the news particularly upsetting, further support and guidance can be found at \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/supporting-young-people/bereavement-support/\u0022 title=\u0022Bereavement support\u0022\u003EBereavement support\u003C/a\u003E.\u0027\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ENews of the death can also open up new challenges for young people or bring existing ones back to the surface. These support links should be made available for as long as a young person may need them.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"How to talk about the death of a young person"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EYou should always check how much the young people have understood and answer any questions openly, honestly and clearly. You should always reassure young people (particularly very young people), that it\u2019s not their fault that someone has died, that they\u2019re not to blame and that it doesn\u2019t mean it will happen to them. Some young people won\u2019t feel comfortable asking questions in front of the group \u2013 why not have a questions box in the room where people can write down anything they feel uncomfortable asking in front of the group?\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYou may need to reassure young people with additional needs that just because someone their age has died, it doesn\u2019t mean that they will too. While most young people will have this fear, young people with additional needs may have further concerns and beliefs. The person may have lots of questions and want to know all of the details about what\u2019s caused the person to die and why this is the case. You should try to answer as many of these questions as possible and if you don\u2019t know an answer, be open about this and say you\u2019ll find out and tell them the next time you see them.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s also important to be mindful of the language used when discussing the death of a young person, where possible turns of phrase should be avoided. Using a phrase such as \u2018they went to sleep\u2019 or \u2018we lost\u2019 may be taken literally, resulting in the young person becoming more scared and confused. Scouts often describe someone who has died as having \u2018gone home\u2019 by using the tracking symbol. This can be confusing for young people with additional needs and so it\u2019s important to make sure that they understand this means that they have died and not literally gone home. A potential way to explain this to someone is to say \u201CBaden Powell who created the Scouts was a Christian and used to believe that everyone\u2019s spirit went home to heaven when they died\u2019.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe group may have people from many faiths and include those without a faith. It\u2019s crucial to use your judgement when explaining this to make sure that it is inclusive for everyone.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Reassuring young people"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EYou could create a \u2018\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://prod-umbraco-core.azurewebsites.net/media/6360/comic-strip-conversation.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Comic strip conversation\u0022\u003Ecomic strip conversation\u003C/a\u003E\u2019 with a young person with additional needs to explain what\u2019s happened and why people are acting in a certain way. This can be really useful to help autistic young people understand theirs and others\u2019 emotions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA comic strip conversation should:\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHave a specific and clear goal \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBe interesting, relevant and contain accurate information \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAnswer where, when, what, why and how\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBe very descriptive and use positive language. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EComic strip conversations are written in sentence format and are made up of seven basic sentences: \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPerspective sentences: \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThese sentences refer to or describe the internal state of other people: their thoughts, feelings, beliefs, motivations etc. This helps people with additional needs learn how others perceive events. For example: My friend is happy when we play football. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDescriptive sentences:\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;These sentences are free from assumption and opinion and are completely factual. For example: Some of you may know this already, but this might be hard for some of you to hear \u2013 George has died, that means we won\u2019t see him at Scouts.\u0026nbsp; \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDirective sentences: \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThese sentences present (in a positive way) a response or choice of responses to a situation. For example: I\u2019m going to share my toys with my friend who\u2019s sad to make them feel happier. \u0026nbsp;\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EControl sentences: \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIdentifies personal strategies the person creating the comic strip conversation will use to remember the information they\u2019ve learned in their conversation. For example: I will ask my friends how they are and listen to their response. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAffirmative sentences:\u0026nbsp;\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThese sentences enhance the meaning of statements and may make reference to a shared value/belief. For example: I will ask my friends how they are and listen to their response. It is very important to respect other people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECo-operative sentences: \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThese sentences help people to understand the role played by others in an activity. For example: I feel very sad, my parents/carers or an adult volunteer at Scouts can help me to feel better.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPartial sentences: \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThese are partially incomplete sentences that encourage people to determine a positive response to a situation. For example: My friends feel sad, I could\u2026\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPartial sentences are only recommended when an individual has a good level of understanding of social situations and how they\u2019re handled.\u0026nbsp; \u003C/em\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EComic strip conversation top tips\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFor every directive or control sentence, there should be two to five co-operative, descriptive, perspective and/or affirmative statements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFocus on one topic \u2013 don\u2019t stray into several as this could make the story become confusing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBase the characters on the person you\u2019re writing the story with/for \u2013 make the other characters people they know and see. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWork on the story as soon as possible with the person you\u2019re writing it with/for, this will help them to use the story to show positive behaviour in the future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMake sure the story is positive and can be used to fight negative emotions/situations. The characters in the story should be understanding and patient.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://prod-umbraco-core.azurewebsites.net/media/6360/comic-strip-conversation.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Comic strip conversation\u0022\u003EDownload our example comic strip conversation\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Comic strip conversation"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESuicide is the act of someone deliberately taking their own life. Bereavement through suicide will be a different experience for the group and likely bring different emotions and responses from young people and adults alike.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf someone in the group has died through suicide it\u2019s really important not to attach blame to the person who has died. The group should treat what\u2019s happened as if they\u2019d died through any other cause.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf there\u2019s been a suicide in your group it\u2019s important to inform the Scouts UK HQ Safeguarding Team as soon as possible \u2013 on 0208 433 7164 or at \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:safeguarding@scouts.org.uk\u0022\u003Esafeguarding@scouts.org.uk\u003C/a\u003E \u2013 \u003C/span\u003Eso they can provide further support to you and the group.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EHow to tell the group\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen telling the group about a death through suicide it\u2019s important to judge the level of detail that\u2019s appropriate. With Beavers and Cubs, it would be appropriate to say that the person has \u2018died\u2019 and not go into detail that this was through suicide. Young people of Beaver or Cub age will probably not be aware of suicide and so it\u2019s important to safeguard them from this if possible.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor Scouts and Explorers, it may be appropriate to go into further detail about what\u2019s happened and let them know that the person has died through suicide. It\u2019ll be vital to make sure that the group are supported when hearing this news and that they feel as though they can have open conversations about mental health. You\u2019ll need to make sure that any negative language about mental health (for example, people being classed as \u2018crazy\u2019 or \u2018mad\u2019) is addressed quickly and that negative stereotypes (such as people with bad mental health being \u2018weak\u2019) aren\u2019t reinforced.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EFor parents/carers\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs with any bereavement, you should always make sure that parents/carers of all young people in the group are happy with your plans and are aware, well ahead of time, about what you\u2019re going to be discussing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EParticularly when talking about suicide, it\u2019s important to share details of further support links they can access if they\u2019re concerned for their young person, such as Samaritans.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EMarking what\u2019s happened\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMarking what\u2019s happened should focus on the positives and good times that the group have had with the person during their life.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003ESupport for the group\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe group may feel a sense of guilt that the person who died through suicide didn\u2019t come to them for support; it\u2019s important to reassure the group that they\u2019re not to blame for what\u2019s happened and that it\u2019s not their fault. The UK HQ Safeguarding Team will be able to offer further support to leaders in the event of a bereavement by suicide.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EFurther support\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBereavement through suicide may bring about thoughts, feelings and questions regarding suicide, self-harm and death that you can\u2019t answer. If anyone is finding the news particularly difficult to deal with and it\u0027s affecting their daily life, they could see their NHS GP to access further support.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHowever, there may be a long wait to access these services and not everyone will want to speak to a GP about what\u0027s happened. The following details should also be made available to all members of the group and parents/carers too. \u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.samaritans.org/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Samaritans website\u0022\u003ESamaritans\u003C/a\u003E: phone number 116 123\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","label":"Bereavement through suicide"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe group should mark what\u2019s happened (as long as the parents/carers of the young person who has died are happy for you to do so) but try to make sure that this is a positive experience for young people and not something which triggers further sadness. Below are some ideas for activities that you could run with your young people to remember the young person who has died:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMemory box \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe group could create a memory box which contains letters, photographs and objects to help them remember the happy times they had with the young person who has died.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe box: \u003C/strong\u003EThe box should be something nice (avoid a shoebox or similar) and sturdy that will keep everything safe for years to come. Why not try a local charity shop for a wooden box or ask your young people to help design and make one?\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELetters:\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;The group could all write a letter to the young person who has died. It could contain their favourite memory together and something they liked about spending time with them.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhotographs: \u003C/strong\u003EIf you have any photographs of the young person who has died, you could write down when and where these were taken and put them into the box.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EObjects: \u003C/strong\u003EIf the young person who died particularly liked certain things (trading cards, football etc) you could put their favourite objects into the memory box.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EKeep the box safe and make it available for young people to look through when they miss the person and want to remember the happy times they had together.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECreate a \u2018memory wall\u2019 \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe group could (with permission from the building owner) create a memory wall at your Scout meeting place. This wall could be used on a section night to create a \u2018living memory\u2019 project for the young person who has died. On the wall, you could:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EDraw/paint pictures of happy memories you have with the young person and stick these to the wall.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EStick photos of the young person enjoying Scouts.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EWrite down all the best things about the young person and your favourite memories and stick these to the wall.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EOnce the wall is complete, why not ask everyone to share what they put on the wall and the best memory they have of the young person who has died? (Make sure everyone feels comfortable to share).\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the end of the evening, be sure to take lots of photos of the memory wall before you take it down so that you and your young people can reflect back on everything that was on it.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAsk your young people\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe young people in your group may have their own ideas on how they would like to mark the death of their friend. Why not keep a box somewhere in the room to collect these?\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAlways make sure the young person\u2019s family is happy with your plans, taking the time to talk them through what you want to do and allowing them the time to ask any questions they may have. These activities can be a trigger for young people, and so make sure that you\u2019re constantly assessing the mood of the group and providing further support to young people if necessary.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIn our own time\u0026nbsp;\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe young people in your group may also want to remember the young person who has died in their on time, at home with family/friends. Young people could do this by writing a poem, creating a journal or making their own private memory box.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"How to mark the death of a young person at Scouts"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s really important to remember that different faiths and cultures will have different responses to grief and have their own traditions and ways of marking death. When discussing death with your group, or planning an activity to mark what has happened, make sure you take this into account and respect everyone\u0027s beliefs/traditions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Respecting different views"}]}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":"Support and guidance for you and your group if a young person dies as a result of the Coronavirus crisis.","pageType":null,"location":null,"browserTitle":"","versionDate":"15 July 2023","reviewDate":"16/04/2020","redirectUrl":"","id":47548,"nodeName":"Support if a young person dies","title":"Support if a young person dies","type":"contentPage","image":null,"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Support for if a young person dies","headerSubTitle":"","headerCta":"","headerCtaText":"","headerCtaLink":"","headerBackgroundColour":"ffe627","showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":[]},"subHeader":"Support and guidance for you and your group if a young person dies as a result of the Coronavirus crisis.","silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC80NzU0OCJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/supporting-young-people/bereavement-support/support-if-a-young-person-dies/"}