Following the news about The Queen’s death children and young people have turned to Childline counsellors for support. They have discussed a range of different things, including:
- Sadness for the loss of The Queen
- Past bereavements that this has reminded them of (family members or friends passing away)
- Issues around mourning in public and school’s announcements/assemblies
- Feeling overwhelmed with all the news at the moment – with The Queen’s passing being one more sign of “how the world is getting worse”
- The monarchy’s legacy
- What the new King will do
Advice – for parents and carers
Following a huge and public loss like that of Queen Elizabeth II, it is normal for children and young people to feel the impact of the grief in their communities.
This may have raised questions for them about loss or remind them of their own experiences of bereavement.
There are a number of ways that adults can support children at this time:
- Let them know that you’re there to listen to them and remind them that sharing how they feel can really help. Equally, give them space if they wish to be alone to process how they are feeling
- Remind them that there are lots of small ways to let their feelings out. This could include expressing their feelings by doing something creative such as writing a letter to that person or keeping a diary of how they’re feeling
- If they are upset about someone who has died, encourage them to think of the happy times they had with the person who died and share this with you so you can talk about them together
- Remind them that it can take a long time to feel better if they have experienced a bereavement and that this is normal
- If they are finding it hard to talk to you, let them know they can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice on 0800 1111 or www.childline.org.uk
Shaun Friel, Childline Director, said: “It is not surprising that the death of Her Majesty The Queen has brought up different feelings for children and young people. When big world events take place such as this, we often see them being raised by children in Childline counselling sessions.
“Those that have turned to our counsellors have talked about a range of things including sadness about her death, questions about loss and grief, and for some young people, The Queen’s death has reminded them about a bereavement they have experienced in their own lives which will feel very difficult for them.
“Others have highlighted that it feels like another piece of very overwhelming news at the moment.
“Death is a very natural and inevitable part of life, but its also a very overwhelming topic for children to process and understand. It is important that children know there is someone they can talk to if they are feeling worried or upset. Remind them that there are trusted adults who can listen to them and that they can always contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice.”
Sir Peter Wanless, CEO of NSPCC, said: “Everyone at the NSPCC is devastated by the death of Her Majesty The Queen. She was our Royal patron for more than 60 years, which was just one of the countless ways she made a huge difference to the lives of children in the UK. Our thoughts go out to her family, including our current patron the Countess of Wessex.
“Her Majesty The Queen supported the NSPCC in a number of ways, including attending our centenary thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral in 1984, visiting our national training centre in 1989 and hosting a reception at St James Palace in 2007 to mark the end of our FULL STOP appeal. The NSPCC’s Royal patron is currently the Countess of Wessex.
“We know that during this moment of national shock and mourning, many children will be feeling anxious. Support is available for children struggling with anxiety at Childline: Worries about the world | Childline”
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