Oxfordshire charity calls for better child bereavement data
Young Ambassadors from SeeSaw have met with an MP to share their experiences and discuss access to support
Young people who have been supported by an Oxfordshire bereavement charity are calling for better national data to identify children who may be missing out on getting help.
SeeSaw provides support for children and young people when someone close to them is dying or has died, including one-to-one help, advice for families, online resources and training for schools and professionals.
Ambassadors Aisha Campbell and Nettie Parish, alongside communications manager Liv Webster visited the House of Commons and met with Henley and Thame MP Freddie van Mierlo.
Aisha and Nettie shared their personal experiences of bereavement and discussed the importance of children being able to access the service.
Nettie, now 18, was supported by SeeSaw before and after the death of her dad from cancer when she was around 13.
"I'd be able to talk through medical things that I didn't understand or I didn't necessarily know how to feel about," she said.
“They were really helpful with knowing what to expect and knowing what I could do to prepare myself or advocate for myself.”
She said the charity also provides a safe space for children to speak openly about a loved one they have lost.
Why SeeSaw says better data is needed
The charity says better data would allow them to understand how many young people need help, identify those who may currently be missing out and plan services and funding more effectively.
Nettie said: “They can’t work out who they’re reaching and who they’re not."
The Young Ambassadors also discussed working more closely with the police so children could be automatically referred for support following a suicide or other traumatic loss.
Mr van Mierlo has written to the Minister for Children and Families about the collection of official statistics on bereaved children.
He said: “Through personal testimony from constituents, I am aware of how vital these services are and how highly valued they are by families who receive support.
“SeeSaw performs remarkable work in helping children to process grief and access the practical and emotional support they need.”
Giving back after getting support
Nettie said she wanted to help make the service available to more children after her journey through grief.
“I think the work they do is important and helpful, and if more children can access it then that’s a positive,” she said.
She added that the charity is also important for connecting children with similar experiences.
“The support itself made a massive difference," she said.
“But also seeing the people the charity had worked with and the fact that they had come through the other side of it and gone on to live nice, proper lives was appreciated because it feels like the world’s ending.”