A Child Funeral Fund announced by Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey in March has come into operation today (June 1 2022).
A one-off lump sum payment of £3,056 will be payable from the Fund to help families with the cost of a funeral on the death of a child under 18 or in the event of a stillbirth after 24 weeks.
Further info: communities-ni.gov.uk/news/child-fun
Children and young people who have been bereaved through suicide can be under enormous emotional pressure.
It’s common for them to express anger, question the reasons why and become withdrawn.
Here’s how adults and school staff can support them cruse.org.uk/organisations/
Child funeral fund: Families in Northern Ireland to receive payments
A new fund to help families in Northern Ireland pay the cost of a funeral following the death of a child will be available from June.
The Child Funeral Fund will offer a one-off payment of £3,056 after the death of a child under 18. The money will also be made available in the event of a still birth after 24 weeks.The fund is not means-tested and will be available to all families regardless of their financial situation. Read more …. https://tinyurl.com/3ndh4xv9
Memory Box
Creating a memory box can be a lovely way to remember a loved one who has died.
By having a safe space filled with their items can be a helpful way to feel connected to them and keep their memory alive.
Here are more ways to remember:
https://cruse.org.uk/understanding-grief/managing-grief/ways-to-remember-someone-who-has-died/
You may be aware that the Department of Health developed and finalised the report “COVID-19 Guidance Bereavement Advice and Support” in 2021 , with 7 recommendations including:
“That the HSC Bereavement Network membership is expanded to become the Northern Ireland Bereavement Network, with responsibility for developing and leading the strategic bereavement plan for the next 10 years. The Northern Ireland Bereavement Network should include all relevant cross-departmental and community organisations and agencies” and outlined the connection with Advance Care Planning, therefore the Advance Care Planning programme are keen to promote this piece of work.
As a first stage in this work, the Patient and Client Council (PCC) are taking forward the development of a Bereavement Charter for NI as part of the NI Bereavement Network.
A Bereavement Charter sets out pledges to bereaved individuals and loved ones about the standards of service and care they should expect to receive following the death of a loved one.
To help begin the wider societal conversation needed for the development of a Bereavement Charter for NI, the @PatientClient are now conducting a survey to help understand what matters most to the people of Northern Ireland when considering death, bereavement and grief. This survey encompasses all experiences and is not limited to life-limiting conditions or expected deaths.
We would be very grateful if you would circulate survey, which is accessed by following the link below;
https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk/hsc/7f44400c/
You are encouraged to be as open and honest as possible in your responses to this survey, all of which will be anonymised. This will ensure that charter development is more representative of our society and the communities within it. The closing date for this survey is 7th February 2022.
