EVENT OVERVIEW

Working in Childhood Bereavement courses from St Christopher’s Candle and Hospice UK, accredited by Middlesex University

About the event

Introduction

The next course starts in September 2020

These courses offer a Certificate (level 5) or Advanced Certificate (level 7) for those working with bereaved children and their families. The courses are aimed at anyone with experience in working with bereaved children and their families in education, health or social care. While these courses offer a unique opportunity to link theory to practice, they do not offer a counselling qualification.

How to apply

Contact Isobel Bremner the Childhood bereavement course Lead on 020 8768 4533 or email i.bremner@stchristophers.org.uk for more information.

For further information on applying please see Hospice UK’s website

What the course covers

Working with bereaved children, young people and families

• Theories of bereavement.
• Child development, loss through the life cycle and the family context.
• The death of a child – the family perspective.
• Pre-bereavement issues.
• Children bereaved by traumatic death.
• Assessment issues.
  Working with individuals, with families and in groups.
• Brief versus extended interventions, telephone work.

Context and framework

• Supervision and support.
• Service development – assessing need and setting up a service.
• Setting standards for service delivery – record keeping, monitoring and maintaining quality, working with volunteers.
• Inter-agency working, referral to other services and working with minority groups.
• Legal issues and report writing.
• A parent’s perspective.
• Training issues for service providers – resources, methods, and reflective practice.

Teaching

The course is taught as two modules, on a part-time basis, over nine months. Students are required to attend:

• Two Thursday and Friday sessions at St Christopher’s at the beginning and end of the course.
• Six Friday sessions at Hospice UK.

Assessment

Students will be assessed in a variety of ways, including:

• One 2,000 word assignment.
• Two learning reviews.
• A group and an individual practice presentation.
• An extended essay (for advanced certificate students).

“There is no doubt that the childhood bereavement course gave me the experience and academic underpinning that led directly to my role with SeeSaw. I would not have been able to manage the complex role of director without this training; I am extremely grateful to all involved, I thoroughly recommend the courses to anyone currently working in the field as well as those looking to move into this important and rewarding work.”

Helen Mackinnon, Director of SeeSaw

• Tutors

• Course tutors

  • Programme Leader: Isobel Bremner, St Christopher’s Hospice Candle Service Lead
  • Admissions and Assessment Tutor: Jean Hindmarch, Hospice UK
  • Course administrator: Amber Morgan, Hospice UK