Free downloads for schools
Our downloadable resources can be reproduced for use in staff planners, enlarged to A3 size for posters and shared digitally.
Click on the image to open each file.
Self care tips for teachers
Tips for students supporting their friends
Tips for effective listening techniques with students
Tips for effective communication with students
Tips for expressing sympathy to bereaved families
Tips for "saying the right thing" following loss
What to say to parents about school reopening
Survey for EYFS/KS1 on returning to school (boy)
Survey for EYFS/KS1 on returning to school (girl)
Survey for KS2 on returning to school (boy)
Survey for KS2 on returning to school (girl)
Check in with your KS3 students using this easy survey
Red flags and coping mechanisms in kids and teens
Tips for students supporting their friends
Simple reminders for adults helping children
Survey of staff on their emotional wellbeing
Tips for staff on supporting each other
Acknowledging thoughts and feelings
Learning how to be in the present moment
Emotional honesty and connection with others
Effective listening and conversation starters
The importance of goodbyes with loved ones
Open Ears Programme & Products
The Open Ears Programme
The Open Ears Programme is a user-friendly year-long PSHE curriculum to develop life-long skills to cope with bereavement, grief and loss, incorporating feelings and emotional wellbeing, developing healthy relationships, and resilience into learning.
The Open Ears Box of Hearts
The 52 cards inside the Box of Hearts each have a question to start off conversations for children to share and learn about their feelings.
Motivational A3 Posters - Set of 5
Inspired by our 5 point plan ebook these 5 images will look great on any wall - classroom, home or office.
They are printed on heavy card & posted flat so NO annoying curling corners that will lift off the wall.
Books & Audio
Webinars & Articles
Watch Grief Recovery MD Carole Henderson speak with TES UK about supporting students and teachers during and after lockdown
Our Articles on Helping Children with Loss
- Deep Breaths Posted on 21st October 2020 at 13:55
- How to address Fathers’ Day with Children Without a Dad Posted on 17th June 2020 at 11:23
- Supporting GCSE and A Level Students Through Lockdown Posted on 17th April 2020 at 07:53
- Talking to Children about Coronavirus Posted on 3rd April 2020 at 08:09
- Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) and Helping Children with Loss Posted on 11th March 2020 at 12:06
- Moving can cause grief - how to help your child cope Posted on 26th April 2019 at 08:29
- How to talk to kids about terror attacks Posted on 25th May 2017 at 08:38
- How to Write a Sympathy Card Posted on 3rd June 2013 at 13:38
Training Programmes
We know how difficult it can be to find the right words to comfort a child. We don't want to say the wrong thing, but we also want to connect with the child and offer our support. Finding this balance is challenging if you don't have the right tools for the job.
Our "Helping Children with Loss" programme provides parents, teachers and anyone who works with children with the specific tools for helping a child of any age and/or ability level with a personal loss of any kind.
After completion of this course, participants will have the confidence and the ability to communicate effectively with children and teenagers on the topics of grief and loss, as well as specific tools for helping a young person recover from bereavement.
Its techniques have been adapted for children using the evidence-based Grief Recovery Method, which has been successful at helping thousands of grievers all over the world heal from the pain of personal loss for over three decades. The programme is ACEs informed and was created with the awareness that adverse childhood events can have a permanent impact on a person's wellbeing.
The Helping Children with Loss programme is a course for adults led by a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist in your area or in an online setting.
The programme uses When Children Grieve by John W. James and Russell Friedman as its textbook and covers the myths of grief, techniques for speaking with children and teenagers about sad feelings, and action steps for dealing with personal losses.
To find your nearest Grief Recovery Specialist, take a look at our map or our online directory.
Grief UK can also offer bespoke training for your school or organisation. Please contact us at schools@griefuk.org to find out more.
