Principle one - UK Commission on Bereavement

All schools and other education settings must be required to provide age-appropriate opportunities for children and young people to learn about coping with death and bereavement as part of life.

A review of the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum review is expected this autumn, presenting a crucial opportunity to introduce grief education in schools across England, and the sector is planning to coordinate a response to the consultation

In order to increase understanding and normalise conversations about death, dying and bereavement, governments in each UK nation must commit 6p per person to help develop, resource and evaluate cross-sector, collaborative initiatives - similar to public health campaigns reducing mental health stigma such as Time to Change and See Me.

The UK Government’s response to a recent parliamentary question showed that the Government does not have plans to fund a public health campaign on bereavement. However, despite the lack of funding, a number of initiatives are underway in specific local areas and nationwide to raise awareness of the importance of supporting grieving people and to increase understanding and normalise conversations about death, dying and bereavement.