Do you talk about death in your school?

Reflecting on how bereavement is tackled in schools, a young person commented: “It’s kind of ironic because it’s the one thing that’s guaranteed in life, but they won’t teach you about it!”

Talking about death to children is common sense, but all too often we avoid it until it strikes. The proposed new curricula for relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education present an ideal opportunity for schools to help pupils to think about what happens when someone important to them dies. Here are five good reasons why schools should adopt this more proactive approach.

Young people are naturally curious about death and bereavement and often raise questions about it. Research with young people has shown that many – including those who haven’t been bereaved – would welcome learning about coping with this major life change, although they are clear that this needs to be handled in a sensitive manner.