The National Day of Reflection offers an opportunity for us to come together as a nation, creating a safe space for those who are grieving. The National Childhood Bereavement Project is proud to stand by those who will be remembering someone who has died and support Marie Curie’s campaign. Denisha will be attending the online Say Something Dundee Conversation Café event to spend today listening and learning from those who have been bereaved throughout the pandemic.

There is a sense amongst those the Project has heard from that children and young people are ‘holding onto’ their grief due to the pandemic. The typical rituals which occur after a death such as funerals and wakes have been impacted by the restrictions imposed to control the spread of coronavirus which has prevented many from processing their grief. We have heard from young people that the limitations to escapism has exacerbated their loss as they cannot use ‘normal’ life activities like seeing their friends or going to school as a distraction from mourning.