Menu
22/11/2023
Alliance Call For Change In Bereavement Education
The Alliance Party has called for a change to how bereavement support and grief education is dealt with in NI schools.
Alliance Education spokesperson Nick Mathison made the call after sponsoring a Marie Curie Child Grief Awareness Event at Parliament Buildings to mark Children's Grief Awareness Week 2023. During the event, a number of different speakers highlighted the importance of breaking down the taboo of death in our schools and ensuring peers, teachers and families can best support children and young people who experience a bereavement.
The Strangford MLA has said: "Today was a fantastic opportunity to hear from the experts about how and why grief education should be included formally in the school curriculum.
"Although death and grief are things we typically associate with great sadness, the work that has been done by Marie Curie and their partners is incredibly positive. Their School Bereavement Programme helps to break down the taboo of grief and death. It helps children to be informed, in an age-appropriate manner, about death, dying and bereavement and helps to build resilience if they were to ever potentially experience bereavement themselves.
"Alliance is fully supportive of Marie Curie's call for grief education to be included formally in the school curriculum in Northern Ireland. We talk so often about the importance of early intervention in many different policy areas, and the creation and promotion of safe spaces to talk about death and grief in schools will undoubtedly play a role in preventing further mental heath difficulties for children and young people who are impacted by grief at a young age.
"I would like to give special credit to the young people who took part in the event and shared their experiences of grief and bereavement support in schools. It is absolutely vital that their voices are heard."
Alliance Education spokesperson Nick Mathison made the call after sponsoring a Marie Curie Child Grief Awareness Event at Parliament Buildings to mark Children's Grief Awareness Week 2023. During the event, a number of different speakers highlighted the importance of breaking down the taboo of death in our schools and ensuring peers, teachers and families can best support children and young people who experience a bereavement.
The Strangford MLA has said: "Today was a fantastic opportunity to hear from the experts about how and why grief education should be included formally in the school curriculum.
"Although death and grief are things we typically associate with great sadness, the work that has been done by Marie Curie and their partners is incredibly positive. Their School Bereavement Programme helps to break down the taboo of grief and death. It helps children to be informed, in an age-appropriate manner, about death, dying and bereavement and helps to build resilience if they were to ever potentially experience bereavement themselves.
"Alliance is fully supportive of Marie Curie's call for grief education to be included formally in the school curriculum in Northern Ireland. We talk so often about the importance of early intervention in many different policy areas, and the creation and promotion of safe spaces to talk about death and grief in schools will undoubtedly play a role in preventing further mental heath difficulties for children and young people who are impacted by grief at a young age.
"I would like to give special credit to the young people who took part in the event and shared their experiences of grief and bereavement support in schools. It is absolutely vital that their voices are heard."
Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
21 November 2024
UK Education Ministers Meet In Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland hosted the fifth UK Education Ministers' Council (EMC) meeting at Laurelhill Community College in Lisburn.
UK Education Ministers Meet In Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland hosted the fifth UK Education Ministers' Council (EMC) meeting at Laurelhill Community College in Lisburn.
28 February 2023
NI Bereavement Network Announces New Online Bereavement Hub
A new online, centralised hub to provide easily accessible information and support on bereavement, is to be developed by Northern Ireland's Bereavement Network, supported by the Department of Health and a wide range of stakeholders from across the HSC and beyond.
NI Bereavement Network Announces New Online Bereavement Hub
A new online, centralised hub to provide easily accessible information and support on bereavement, is to be developed by Northern Ireland's Bereavement Network, supported by the Department of Health and a wide range of stakeholders from across the HSC and beyond.
14 November 2024
Minister Reacts To Teachers' Union Ballot Threat
Education Minister Paul Givan has responded to the announcement by several teachers' unions that they plan to ballot their members for industrial action over 2024/25 pay. Earlier this year, the Minister provided funding to successfully resolve the long-running industrial dispute over teachers' pay for 2021-24.
Minister Reacts To Teachers' Union Ballot Threat
Education Minister Paul Givan has responded to the announcement by several teachers' unions that they plan to ballot their members for industrial action over 2024/25 pay. Earlier this year, the Minister provided funding to successfully resolve the long-running industrial dispute over teachers' pay for 2021-24.
15 November 2024
New Pathway To Support Young People With Diabetes
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has welcomed the launch of a new Regional Young Adults' Progression Pathway designed to support young people with Type 1 diabetes as they transition to adult services.
New Pathway To Support Young People With Diabetes
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has welcomed the launch of a new Regional Young Adults' Progression Pathway designed to support young people with Type 1 diabetes as they transition to adult services.
13 September 2022
UUP Leader Expresses His Grief At The Death Of The Queen
Ulster Unionist Party Leader Doug Beattie has expressed his condolences to "the King, his brothers and sister and the wider family on the death of their mother, their grandmother, their great grandmother, our Queen".
UUP Leader Expresses His Grief At The Death Of The Queen
Ulster Unionist Party Leader Doug Beattie has expressed his condolences to "the King, his brothers and sister and the wider family on the death of their mother, their grandmother, their great grandmother, our Queen".
-
Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A showery start with outbreaks most frequent north of Lough Neagh and through the morning, before dwindling during the afternoon as the northwest breezes ease and brighter spells of weak sunshine prosper. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A dry night, save for a few light showers around the coasts, with prolonged clear spells and light winds bringing a frosty dawn for many in central and southern parts. Minimum temperature -3 °C.
