Sit up at the back there, your next lesson is... death
SCHOOLCHILDREN as young as nine are being given lessons about death to help them cope better with bereavement.
School trips to hospices, talks about dead relatives and even school ‘death clubs’ are being trialled under the scheme, intended to help children become ‘better equipped’ to cope when someone they know dies.
Experts say teaching about death in schools will ‘promote end of life and bereavement experiences’ to children.
But last night parents’ groups said any move to teach children about death must be done in an ‘age-appropriate way’ and ‘should not be forced on anyone’.
Trials were carried out by the University of Strathclyde, using expert staff from a hospice working with local schools.
Researchers consulted with teachers, parents, pupils and hospice staff about how they could include the subject of death in the curriculum.
This led to the creation of an ‘education programme’ about death, illness and bereavement alongside health, as well as raising awareness of the role of the local hospice and staff bereavement training.
The research was led by Dr Sally Paul, a lecturer in the School of Social Work and Social Policy at the University of Strathclyde and a former hospice social worker. She said: ‘I was aware that children were often referred for specialist bereavement support, by parents and other professionals, without being given basic information about what had happened or asked how they were feeling.
‘This lack of communication and informal support often impacted negatively on the child’s experience. I was keen, thereThe fore, to explore how the hospice could work more proactively to develop and enhance support for children.
‘Bereavement impacts all children at some point in their lives and it is important that they have the education and support to manage these experiences.
‘Initial findings from the pilot highlight that the children enjoyed this learning opportunity. I would like to see this education available as a core part of teaching.’
move has been backed by the Scottish Government, meaning it could now be extended to schools across the country. A spokesman said: ‘A greater openness about death, dying and bereavement is one of the objectives of the Scottish Government’s Strategic Framework for Action on Palliative and End of Life Care.
‘This study has identified benefits to hospices, school communities and wider society from joint learning projects with primary children.’
Anne-Marie O’Leary, editor-in-chief of parenting website Netmums, said: ‘Talking about everything with children is a good idea. Everyone is going to lose someone they care about at some point, because death is a part of life. But this should always be done in an age-appropriate way and should not be forced on anyone.’
Mark Hazelwood, chief executive of the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care, said: ‘Children of all ages are affected by death, dying and bereavement. This very valuable research identifies some practical and sensitive ways in which schools and hospices can work together to prepare and support children in Scotland to deal with these difficult realities.’
The study was published in BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care.
‘Bereavement impacts all children’