BEDFORDSHIRE BEREAVEMENT SERVICE
CHUMS Bereavement Service (Bedfordshire) provides community-based therapeutic support for children, young people and their parents/carers. Our sessions are delivered by bereavement-trained therapists and volunteers with 28 years of specialist experience. We offer a compassionate, reflective space where families can express emotions, share memories, and meet others who understand the impact of loss.
Children experience the pain of bereavement just as deeply as adults, though their responses vary based on age, maturity, and understanding of the event. Adults often try to protect children by avoiding difficult conversations, but our experience shows that honest, gentle communication can help.
When talking with children, it is important to be:
- Age and developmentally appropriate
- Sensitive
- Honest
Whilst being mindful of remaining age-appropriate, children need to understand what has happened, what the bereavement means within their family and culture, and reassurance that their emotions are normal responses to someone dying.
Many factors shape how a child or young person responds to a death, including:
- Age and stage of development
- Personality and temperament
- Relationship with the person who died
- Previous experiences of loss
- How others around them are grieving
- Other stresses in their life
- The level of support available to them
Children can benefit from being given the opportunity to be part of conversations or commemorative activities about the person who had died. They may choose not to but offering them the choice lets them know that they are allowed to express their feelings when they are ready.
Our offer – An annual programme of Bereavement workshops for families living in Luton
Children gain a great deal from meeting peers who have experienced similar losses. With opportunities to understand what has happened and express their feelings, many learn to adjust and grow through their grief.
CHUMS provides an innovative series of workshops for children, young people, and their families. Through creativity, gentle reflection, and shared experiences – families can explore grief in ways that feel safe and natural. It’s important to remember that grief is unique to each person, and everyone experiences it differently. These workshops provide families with a gentle, safe space to express feelings, remember loved ones, and discover supportive coping strategies together.
After an assessment with a CHUMS therapist, families are invited to monthly workshops featuring creative and nature-inspired activities. These activities encourage expression, celebrate memories, and help families reflect on what supports them during difficult times. There is no “right” way to participate, and sharing is always optional.
The programme follows the rhythm of the year – using symbols like seeds, sunflowers, autumn leaves, and snowflakes to explore themes of growth, change, and resilience. With a new theme each month, families notice how grief evolves over time and how creativity, connection, and small acts of love and care can support healing.
These workshops offer a space to be together, express emotions, and support one another through the journey of loss and grief.
Service User Testimonial
“We want to thank the whole team for how we were treated — the warmth and care were felt from the start. Our children were nervous but quickly felt at ease. The experience was genuinely faultless. They shared why their drawings were significant and how they connected to a family loss. It was very meaningful.
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– Parent
Service User Testimonial
“The service supported both us as adults and the children. It gave the children a chance to reflect on happy memories, and they proudly shared their creations with the rest of the family. For me, it was lovely to sit with others who had experienced similar losses. Talking and sharing helped. It reminded me that it’s good to talk.
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– Parent
Service User Testimonial
““Thank you once again to the whole team involved in the workshop. Our child enjoys coming and loves the activities. These sessions not only support our child but also us as parents. Hearing other people’s stories is incredibly touching. We truly believe that all families involved are grateful for the service — none more so than ours. You all do such an amazing job and may not realise just how much of an impact you have on every child and adult that comes through your doors.
”
– Parent
Referrals Criteria
- Residents of Bedfordshire. Please note: the annual group programme is available for residents of Luton only
- For children/young people aged between 6 years to 18 years
- The most recent bereavement has occurred no less than 3 months ago
- For those whose main presenting need is related to the bereavement
- Professionals must have first obtained consent to refer a child, young person or young adult into the service. A referral cannot proceed without either the parent or young person consenting.
We are unable to support:
- If there are ongoing legal proceedings or social care assessments, we kindly ask that these are completed before a referral is made. This helps ensure that the child, young person, or family has enough stability in their daily life to benefit fully from bereavement-focused support.
- Children, young people, or young adults experiencing high levels of mental distress or engaging in behaviours that place themselves or others at significant risk of harm will need a different level of support. CHUMS is not a crisis service and we are unable to provide emergency intervention.
- Where a child or young person presents with complex or high-level mental health needs, we encourage families and professionals to seek support from an appropriate mental health service that can offer the specialist care required at this time.
- If a child or young person is affected by social or environmental difficulties that need to be addressed before bereavement work can take place, we may suggest returning to the service at a later stage. This allows time for their circumstances to stabilise, helping ensure they feel ready and able to engage with bereavement support.
Resources
Telling a Child/Young Person Someone has Died
How your child may be grieving
Talking to Children/Young People when someone is Seriously Ill
Book recommendations
There are several books available for children and young people, to help them understand grief and loss. It is important that you check that any resource is developmentally appropriate for your child. Children will benefit from reading together with you, so that you can explain anything they don’t understand, and they can talk about emotions it brings up. An older child might prefer to read by themselves but would still benefit from a chance to discuss their thoughts afterwards.
Below are a few recommendations; there are many others available:
- When Someone Very Special Dies: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief (Marge
Heegaard). - Muddles, Puddles and Sunshine: Your Activity Book to Help When Someone Has
Died (Winston’s Wish). - Luna’s Red Hat (Emmi Smid).
- Beyond the Rough Rock: Supporting a Child who has been Bereaved Through
Suicide (Julie A. Stokes). - You Will Be Okay: Find Strength, Stay Hopeful and Get to Grips With Grief (Julie A.
Stokes). - Out of the Blue – Activity Book for Grieving Teenagers (Winston’s Wish)
Service User Videos
Other supportive organisations
Child Bereavement UK – www.childbereavementuk.org
Cruse Bereavement Care – www.cruse.org.uk
Winston’s Wish – www.winstonswish.org
Grief encounter – https://www.griefencounter.org.uk/