On the Death of a Child

by Christine Hindmarch

Overview

The death of a child - whether during or following birth, through illness, through accident, or through suicide - is one of the greatest challenges families, carers, friends, and the health and social care professionals who support them can face. This book provides professionals with practical advice, resources for further support and reading, and much-needed reassurance that whatever contact they have with the bereaved, and however inadequate they may feel to the task, they can make a difference. With revised material and an entirely new chapter reflecting recent developments in bereavement theory, the third edition of this classic text offers unique insights for professionals with varying levels of experience. From theory and narrative come practical ideas on what to say, what to do, how to behave, how to stay humble in situations where the only real experts are the bereaved themselves, and how professionals can look after themselves in what can be particularly traumatic and upsetting circumstances.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781846194030
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/18/2009
Edition description:	3rd ed.
Pages:	270
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

Preface ix

How to use this book xi

About the author|xiii

Acknowledgements xiv

Section 1 Theory and Practice 1

1 Incidence and characteristics of child death 3

The death of a child is different from other bereavements 5

Sudden and accidental deaths 7

Prenatal and perinatal loss 14

Death from illness 18

Death from congenital conditions 20

Socially difficult deaths 23

Organ retention 26

2 Features of grief and mourning when a child dies 29

Introduction: starting from experience 29

The development of bereavement theory 31

New understandings of grief 36

What the death of a child means for different family members 43

Mourning rituals 50

Section 2 Good Practice Guidelines 55

3 Professional roles 57

Bereavement support workers 58

Chaplains/spiritual care advisors 59

Clergy 61

Coroners 62

Counsellors 64

Funeral directors 66

General practitioners 67

Health visitors 70

Hospital doctors 72

Mortuary technicians 75

Nurses 77

Midwives 79

Paramedics 81

Pathologists 83

Police 85

Registrars of births, marriages and deaths 87

Social workers 88

Teachers 90

4 Guidelines for all 93

General principles 94

Supervision 98

Training 101

Skills 102

Helping strategies 103

Resources questionnaire 105

5 Guidelines for stressful situations 107

Breaking bad news 108

Emergency procedures and intensive care 110

After the death 113

Attending the funeral 118

On first visiting the family 119

Anniversaries 120

Suicide risk assessment 121

6 Guidelines for talking with children 124

Introduction 124

Child experience of loss and bereavement 125

First principles 127

Helping children understand about terminal illness 130

Informing children of the death 131

Telling children about a murder or suicide 133

Summary of dos and don'ts 136

Section 3 Bereavement Support 139

7 Support for families 141

Practical support 141

Befriending 143

Counselling 145

Psychology 154

Psychiatry 154

Groups 155

Social activities 158

Support for children 159

8 Support for schools 164

How schools are affected 164

Planning and preparation 168

Psychological support: who does what and when? 172

Levels of support following critical incidents affecting schools 175

After a suicide 177

9 Support services 181

Core conditions 182

Starting a support group 183

A co-ordinated approach 186

10 Hope, meaning and resilience 190

The rippling effect 190

Some parent's stories 193

Comment 213

Appendix A Useful contacts for support organisations 217

Appendix B Children's hospices 224

Appendix C Useful resources for working with children and families 232

Appendix D Use of geneograms in bereavement counseling 239

Essential references 243

Further reading 245

Index 249