Bereavement and pupils with SEND : Mentally Healthy Schools

This resource is designed to help school and college staff support children and young people with SEND who have been bereaved.

While the resource recognises that bereavement is both a universal experience and one that can affect everyone uniquely, it covers some areas of support that pupils with additional needs may require.

This includes being aware of pre-existing mental wellbeing vulnerabilities, the necessity of being sensitive to communication differences, and the importance of schools and colleges offering stability, safety and routine.

Using this resource

This resource is designed for:

use by mental health leads working with students aged 5 to 19.

use by staff working in primary, secondary schools, colleges (sixth form and FE) and special schools

Learning outcomes

This resource addresses the following learning outcomes:

Create a plan to develop, implement and sustain a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing, tailored to their setting’s needs.
Facilitate development of school staff, identifying critical training and ensuring that all staff can recognise and understand the process to respond to mental health concerns.
Share simple evidence-based strategies and exercises with staff and pupils/students to help them manage their mental health and develop their own coping strategies.