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BSA virtual day seminar – Coping with bereavement and loss

26 January 2022 @ 10:30 am - 3:30 pm


  • Date: January 26, 2022
  • Time: 10:30 – 15:30
  • Cost: Full Member – £135,  Affiliate Member – £205, Non-member – £270
  • Audience: Deputy Head, Head of Boarding, House staff, Pastoral and Wellbeing staff, Medical staff.
  • Platform: Zoom (online)

This seminar, led by an expert from childhood bereavement charity, Winston’s Wish, will support pastoral staff in their understanding of the impact of loss and bereavement on young people. From recognising how children and young people grieve and the physiological impact of grief, to supporting young children in coping with a return to ‘normal’ activities after suffering a loss, this seminar will equip delegates with a clearer understanding of how to help.

The focus will be on the main school age range of 8-18 years, but may go beyond these years to account for developmental variations. The session will also consider the child in the context of the boarding school ‘family’, and the role pastoral staff in particular, can play.

Training topics will include:

  • Prevalence of childhood bereavement – in context
  • Usual reactions to grief and developmental variations of grief
  • Theories of grief
  • The roles that schools play in supporting bereaved children and young people
  • Communication – with the child, family, staff, students, and wider school community
  • Helping children understand their feelings
  • When to seek more help
  • Self-care.

Learning outcomes:

  • An understanding of the impact of loss and bereavement on young people, including the physical and psychological impact of grief
  • Recommended actions to help children and young people understand their feelings
  • Signposting to additional support and when to access this.

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Speaker: Samantha Cleevely, Winston’s Wish
Samantha started work as a Residential Social Worker in Local Authority’s Children’s Homes in 1993, after three years, she was seconded to Children and Families Team to prevent children entering the Care Provision. During this time, she worked with both children and parents, focusing on family dynamics, school difficulties, parenting and one to one support to children and young people. Samantha trained in the Introduction of Family Therapy at Bristol UWE and Brief Therapy. Within these roles, Samantha set up and ran Groups for children focused on Loss and Separation, bullying and self-esteem, and took on specialised one to one care with children with complex emotional difficulties.

Samantha completed her Diploma in Social Work at Gloucestershire University in 2001. As part of her Diploma, she worked within Hospital Social Work Teams and Gloucestershire Social Services Children’s and Family Teams. After graduation, Samantha moved to a Social Work Field Team focused on Looked after Children. Within this role, Samantha supported children within local authority placements, Out of County Therapeutic Provisions, and Adoption Placements, taking overall responsibility for the care planning and support received by young people and children on her caseload.

In 2007, she became an Independent Social Worker and completed the Train the Trainer Certificate. She was contracted by Gloucestershire Fostering Team to Recruit Foster Carers, run the three-day Skills to Foster Care training and carry out Foster Care Assessments.

In 2014, Samantha joined Winston’s Wish, working with children and families, both one to one and within groups. Initially this was on a Project Supporting Children aged 8-14 vulnerable to Youth Offending following a bereavement, and then within the Children and Families Team. Samantha currently works in the Family Bereavement Support Service Team, National Helpline, Instant Messaging service and the Ask Chris Email Support Service, as well as running a once-a-month Drop-in Service prior to the pandemic.

Samantha joined the Training Team of Winston’s Wish, and took a leading role in the annual delivery of training to Macmillan Staff in supporting children affected by pre-bereavement and bereavement throughout the UK, as well as bespoke packages of training to services such as Schools, Social Services and Mental Health Teams. Samantha has also trained and supported Bereaved Adults with Cruse Bereavement Service.

Details

Date:
26 January 2022
Time:
10:30 am - 3:30 pm
Event Category:

Venue

Virtual – Zoom
United Kingdom + Google Map