Supporting Children Through Bereavement and Loss

As an early years professional, you create safe spaces where children thrive. But when a child experiences loss or bereavement, many practitioners feel uncertain about how to support them:

The reality: Every 22 minutes in the UK, a parent of dependent children dies. Up to 70% of schools have bereaved pupils at any given time, and 92% of young people experience significant bereavement before age 16.

This isn’t rare – it’s a skill you need in your professional toolkit.

Supporting Children Through Bereavement and Loss is a focused professional development course that equips you with practical, age-appropriate strategies to support children experiencing loss. Through evidence-based content delivered by early years expert Tamsin Grimmer, you’ll gain:

• Children’s comprehension of death from ages 0-10
• Age-specific responses to loss and bereavement
• The “puddle jumping” pattern unique to children’s grief

• Clear, honest language that prevents harmful misconceptions
• Effective phrases for validating children’s emotions
• Frameworks for answering difficult questions sensitively

• Identifying regression behaviors triggered by loss
• Implementing calming techniques for emotional regulation
• Maintaining security through consistent routines

• Conducting sensitive conversations with parents and carers
• Creating coordinated support between setting and home
• Accessing and sharing appropriate resources

Meet Your Course Instructor: Tamsin Grimmer

Tamsin Grimmer is a respected early years consultant, author and trainer specialising in supporting children’s emotional wellbeing. Her approach combines evidence-based practice with practical strategies you can implement immediately.

As a lecturer at the world-renowned Norland College and Education Director of Linden Learning, Tamsin combines academic expertise with hands-on experience to deliver practical, actionable strategies for early years professionals.

Tamsin’s professional background includes

This comprehensive course (52 minutes of video plus activities) is structured to build your confidence and competence in supporting bereaved children:

• Beyond death alone – discover the surprising range of losses that can trigger grief responses in young children
• The hidden impact of “small” losses – why returning a borrowed drum kit or missing bedtime routines can devastate a child
• ACEs revealed – uncover how bereavement connects to Adverse Childhood Experiences and their long-term implications

• The language trap – avoid common euphemisms like “gone to sleep” or “in the sky” that accidentally create confusion and fear
• Concrete vs. abstract – learn why explaining death as “Grandma can’t visit anymore” works better than abstract concepts
• Answering tough questions – discover why repeating the same honest answer consistently is crucial for children’s understanding

• The cognitive breakthrough timeline – pinpoint exactly when children develop each component of death understanding
• Superhero play decoded – transform your perspective on “killing games” and use them as valuable teaching moments
• The “puddle jumping” pattern – recognize and support children’s unique grief pattern of intense emotion followed by apparent forgetting

• What to say (and never say) – learn the best and worst responses when talking with bereaved children and families
• Supporting while grieving – techniques for helping children when you’re also experiencing the same loss
• Calming strategies – 13 practical techniques for helping emotionally overwhelmed children regulate their feelings
• Resources for healing – access curated children’s books and memory-making activities that normalize grief and foster understanding

Q: How long do I have access to the course materials?
A: You have unlimited lifetime access to all course content, allowing you to revisit the materials whenever needed.

Q: Can I pause and resume the course as needed?
A: Yes! The course is designed for busy early years professionals. You can pause, rewind, and revisit sections as often as you like.

Q: Do I need any special materials or equipment?
A: Just a notebook and pen for the reflection activities. The course is accessible on any device with internet access.

Q: I have limited experience with bereavement support. Is this course suitable for me?
A: Absolutely! The course is designed for practitioners at all experience levels, providing fundamental understanding and practical strategies you can implement immediately.

Q: I’ve supported bereaved children before. Will I learn anything new?
A: Yes! The course combines current research with practical applications, offering fresh perspectives on supporting children through loss and bereavement, even for experienced practitioners.

Q: How quickly can I implement what I learn?
A: The strategies taught can be implemented immediately in your setting. Each section includes practical examples and clear guidance for application.

Q: What technology do I need to access the course?
A: Any device with internet access and audio capability will work—computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Q: Why is the course priced at £40?
A: We’ve purposely kept the price accessible to ensure all early years professionals can benefit from this specialist training, while maintaining high-quality content from an expert instructor.

Q: Will I receive a certificate upon completion?
A: Yes, you’ll receive a certificate for 90 minutes of professional development upon course completion. This includes the 52 minutes of video instruction plus time allocated for the reflection and implementation activities.

Q: Is there any support available if I have questions?
A: Yes, as with all our products you can contact us at any time via email or our chat feature and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can – usually within 24 hours and often much faster.

Q: Can I share the course materials with my colleagues?
A: Your course access is for individual use only. However, we offer group discounts if you’d like to enroll multiple team members. Just contact us via email or the website chat feature.

If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us using the chat feature or email and we’ll get back to you straight away.

Equip yourself with the essential skills to support children through their most vulnerable moments. This focused professional development opportunity represents more than just training—it’s an investment in your confidence and capability when children need you most.

For just £40, you’ll gain:

• Expert-led video instruction from Tamsin Grimmer
• Practical, immediately applicable strategies
• Clear frameworks for sensitive communication
• Age-appropriate support techniques
• Professional certification for your portfolio

Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your professional toolkit with essential skills that make a profound difference to children experiencing loss.