|
Having
started an M.Phil/PhD exploring how teachers manage bereaved children, I was
interested in how my school could provide a more open ethos in which children,
parents and staff felt confident to discuss death and loss, either within or
outside of the curriculum. With the support of my Head teacher, I showed a
power-point presentation of my research to colleagues. This outlined the losses
children may suffer and how adults and children may grieve. It also demonstrated
how opportunities to discuss death and loss were already in the curriculum and part
of the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (S.E.A.L.) They could,
therefore, be incorporated into school life.
After
discussion with colleagues, I wrote a policy for implementing my findings. I
then wrote an Action Plan for school procedure in the event of the death of a
child or teacher. As well as a library of books on death and loss and a Parent
Information Pack,(which some parents have already used) we are introducing a
Memory Bowl full of pebbles, on which newly bereaved school members can choose
to write the name of a person, place or pet that they have lost. This will
provide a commemorative opportunity within the school.
Having
put all of the above in place, I was delighted to discover that there were Department
of Health recommendations from the House of Commons Select Committee, who met
in 2004, and that my school was already aiming to facilitate these. Although it
is early days,
Bishop
Tufnell
C.
of E.
Infants
School has come a long way on the
journey to accepting that children often want to discuss death and loss and that
teachers need to know how to recognise and manage bereaved children.
Lorna
Gray 2008,
Bishop
Tufnell
C. of E.
Infants School
POLICY FOR DEATH AND LOSS
EDUCATION
Rationale
As a
church school, we have a responsibility to promote Christian values and to
prepare children for adult life. Within and without the curriculum, we will try
to allow opportunities for children to investigate and respond to the
fundamental questions of human experience, including questions about life, death
and loss. We aim to support the staff and bereaved families in the community of
the school.
Aims
We
aim to:-
explore the fundamental questions of life and
death in a religious context.
encourage
children to develop their spirituality, by discussing thoughts and feelings
about life, dying, death and loss.
acknowledge, and
be aware of, the many types of loss that result in bereavement.
develop empathy
towards, and sensitivity to, the needs and feelings of adults and children who
are soon to be bereaved or who have been bereaved.
accept that
children and adults who are bereaved may require additional help, support and
understanding while in school.
provide
information for staff to assist them in giving the required support to children
and adults.
Guidelines
To
achieve these aims, a Support Group will;
provide an
Action Plan for whole-school procedure upon the death of a staff member or
child.
be aware of the available, external support
associations and how to access them.
Teachers will:
Ensure that all
staff are notified of an imminent or existing bereavement or loss,
Offer the
School Support Pack to any staff or parents who are soon to be bereaved or who
have suffered a recent loss.
Be aware of the
resources provided by the school that can be used in class and know where they
can be found.
Read the
relevant material outlining how children grieve and how they can be helped to
manage their grief.
Be aware of the
correct terminology to use when talking to a bereaved child, i.e. no euphemisms.
Offer children
the opportunity to question, reflect and express their feelings about death and
loss in the safe environment of the classroom.
Provide
opportunities for a grieving child to discuss their thoughts and feelings with
the class teacher, or a nominated staff member from the Support Team.
Ensure that all
Support Staff and Supply Staff are acquainted with the school policy for Death
and Loss and know which children or adults are bereaved.
Ensure that the
next year’s class teacher is aware that a child has suffered a loss.
Attend whole-
school staff training related to Death and Loss education.
Agree a commemorative,
whole school action for pupils, parents and staff.
Lorna Gray (March
2008) to be reviewed 2010
Bishop
Tufnell
C. of E.
Infants
School: Procedures for the Death of a Pupil or
Staff Member
In
the case of a member of staff, or a child, the following guidelines have been
agreed to be the practice of the Bishop Tufnell C. of E .Infants School.
If
the death of a staff member or pupil occurs off-site and after hours (e.g. at
home or in hospital), procedures 1-3 may not be applicable.
The
name of the deceased should not be divulged by any staff members.
All
witnesses to the death to write down details of what happened as accurately and
as soon as possible while they are fresh in their memory.
NO STAFF SHOULD CONTACT THE MEDIA OR
DISCUSS WITH THEM ANY DETAILS OF THE DEATH-the Core Support Group and Area Team
will deal with this.
If it happens at school:
Pupil
1. Teacher or TA to request First Aider
to check for breathing and resuscitation (blue card in class with First Aid
Urgently Required) and parents telephoned by the Office.
2. Call the ambulance to help or verify
the death, if it is believed that the child has died (all staff to know where
the yellow class card for this is kept, Ambulance Urgently Required)
3. Head teacher to call the police who
will inform the next of kin of the child concerned.
4. If required, and instead of 3 above:
the
Emergency Planning Duty Officer should be contacted on (07625 646452 (as at June 2008) and ask for the Pager number 649406, giving the return telephone
number, or telephone
Chichester01243 792792.
5. The children are to be assembled and
informed of the death on the following day and letters sent home to parents.
(See Pro forma attached). Parent helpers in school should also attend the
assembly. N.B. Head teacher will withhold
this information until all family members of the deceased have been contacted.
6. Head teacher of the Junior school (or
Deputy Head teacher in his absence) to be notified of the death on the day of
the death if possible.
7. All staff on sick leave, part-time
staff, clergy and regular Supply Teachers to be contacted by the Head teacher before
the start of the next school day.
8. The Head teacher will contact the
Educational Psychologists, who provide emotional support for the staff and
children, and suggest counsellors if necessary. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IF THE DEATH WAS WITNESSED.
9. Teachers should be aware of the need
to discuss the death. (Refer to Death and Loss guidelines, Parents’ Pack,
Library).
10. Core Support Team members to be
available to talk to Staff, parents and children.
(If the Head teacher is off-site but
contactable, the Deputy Head will arrange for the Head teacher to be contacted.)
Staff
1. Teacher or TA to request First Aider
to check for breathing and resuscitation (blue card in class with ‘First Aid
Urgently Required’) and for the School Office to telephone next- of- kin.
2. Call the ambulance to help, or to
verify the death, if it is believed that the adult has died. (All staff to know
where the yellow class card for ‘Ambulance Urgently Required’ is kept)
3. Head teacher to call the police who
will inform the next of kin of the adult concerned. (staff details for next of kin
in school office, and brown envelope to be handed unopened to ambulance personnel).
4. If required, instead of 3:
5. See first page for instructions for
next step.
6. Head teacher of the
Junior
School
(or Deputy Head teacher in his absence) to be notified of the death on the day
of the death.
7. All governors, School Clergy, staff
on sick leave, and part-time staff, to be contacted by the Head teacher and
Deputy Head teacher by the next day. Parents and children to be informed within
the next two days.
8. Teachers to be aware of the
children’s individual need to discuss the death. (Refer to Death and Loss
guidelines, Parents Pack, Library).
9. Staff members to be advised by
County
Team
and be available to talk to Staff, parents and children.
If the Head teacher is off-site but
contactable, the Deputy Head should arrange for the Head teacher to be
contacted as soon as possible.
The
Head teacher, in liaison with the LEA, may decide to close the school as a day
of mourning and for those who wish to attend the funeral. Up until that point,
normal school opening may be best. In the absence of the Head teacher, the
Deputy Head teacher will be responsible for steps 3-5 and will delegate other
steps as necessary to the School Death and Loss Support Team: Rosemary Appleby,
Sharon Ivall, Lorna Gray, Sue White.
In
the case of a death of a child or staff member, a memorial celebration of life
will be planned. An appropriate picture or wall-hanging will be decided upon
and bought by the school as a commemoration.
Lorna Gray 2008
To
be reviewed 2010
|
