Local bereavement project for children is taking off

Anne-Marie’s ex partner and father to her two children sadly died after taking his own life in April last year.

Since his death, Anne-Marie has found it incredibly difficult to reach support for her two children who were aged 2 and 4 at the time.

In November 2024 the project was launched and has since provided a much needed safe space for children to express their grief.

The Starlight Group is the monthly support group for bereaved children aged 3-10 years. Held at a local cafe. Since launching there has been regular attendance & new families joining.

In the sessions, it is socially led, peer support encouraged. There is usually a craft or two on offer which is based on bereavement, grief or in memory of their passed person. This encourages healthy and open conversation & discussions about memories.

”The Starlight Group is beneficial for everyone that attends. It’s helpful for the children to have a safe space and where they do not feel different than their peers” Anne-Marie adds. “It is also beneficial for the adults that attend. They get to have conversation about their own situations and how they manage parenting bereaved children. Even for me it is so nice to know you’re all in the same boat.”

Due to the need, the project is seeking new venues in Northampton and Kettering to hold additional groups & reach more bereaved children.

The project has also launched a new scheme within local Northamptonshire schools called bereavement befriending. This is similar support level to the starlight group except on a more intense, 1-to-1 level. The scheme comes with a bereavement support plan which encourages multi-agency working to identify needs of the child & for safeguarding purposes.

The project accepts referrals from everyone which you can submit online via the website.