Teaching children about grief: Findings from a population-based online survey in the UK on public and parental attitudes towards grief education in schools [Abstract]

Goss, Silvia, Sivell, Stephanie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0253-1860, Noble, Simon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5425-2383 and Harrop, Emily 2025. Teaching children about grief: Findings from a population-based online survey in the UK on public and parental attitudes towards grief education in schools [Abstract]. Presented at: The 19th World Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care, 29 – 31 May 2025 Helsinki, Finland, 29 – 31 May 2025 Helsinki, Finland. Palliative Medicine. , vol.39 SAGE Publications, p. 71. 10.1177/02692163251335482

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Abstract

Background: Schools are an essential part of the community around grieving children yet support from teachers and peers is often inadequate following a child’s bereavement. Incorporating grief education in the school curriculum could foster more compassionate and supportive school environments for bereaved children while also benefiting children who have not yet experienced loss. Aim/Research question or hypothesis: To explore public and parental attitudes in the UK towards school-based grief education as part of the curriculum. Methods: Data were collected as part of a large-scale, population-based online survey on public attitudes to death, dying and bereavement in the UK. Views on grief education in schools, including perceived benefits and concerns, were captured via rating scales and an open-ended question. Results: Support for school-based grief education among the 10,500 survey respondents (including 4,590 parents) depended on children’s age and tended to be higher among parents: For younger (4-7 years) primary school children, 26% of all respondents (n=2,746/10,500) agreed that learning about grief should be included in the curriculum (parents: 37%; n=1,692/4,590), increasing to 45% for older (8-11 years) primary and 67% for secondary school children (parents: 54% and 72%, respectively). Most respondents recognised potential benefits of grief education. The potential for causing distress was, however, a key concern for many (58% and 45%, respectively, for primary/secondary schools). The need for appropriate teacher training was clearly emphasised (primary/ secondary schools: 79% and 82%, respectively). The captured free text responses contextualise and expand on these quantitative findings. Discussion: Results demonstrate public and parental support for school-based grief education for older primary and all secondary school children. Findings lend support to renewed calls to incorporate age-appropriate opportunities for children to learn about bereavement and grief into the school curriculum. Appropriate teacher training and engagement with key stakeholders, including parents, will be critical for successful implementation.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Other)
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Medicine Research Institutes & Centres > Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Centre (MCPCRC)
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
ISSN:	0269-2163
Last Modified:	11 Dec 2025 10:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/183126

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