Bereavement in the Primary School: A critical consideration of the nature, incidence, impact and possible responses

Abstract

Bereavement is an inevitable occurrence in every school and can be a difficult experience that children cannot be shielded from. Although the subject of death and bereavement is often a ‘taboo’ subject, the nature and incidence of bereavement, critically explored in this article, suggests that it is not an issue that practitioners can shy away from. Bereavement has the potential to impact children in a number of harmful ways. In light of the detrimental impact which the experience of bereavement may have upon a child, this article critically considers the potential proactive and reactive strategies that can be employed by schools in order to address such a complex and sensitive issue.