Hi, my name is Hannah and I look after the Bereavement Team at Highland Hospice. Our Crocus Group staff and volunteers are part of the bereavement team, and they support children and young people in Highland who feel they need a bit of extra help to manage after someone important to them has died.
I love my job because it is important to me to make sure that young people who are grieving are listened to and get the attention and help that they need.
When I’m not working I like to go out on my paddle board, play board games and watch too many shows on Netflix. Sometimes I need my friends to tell me to stop working and start relaxing!
I’ve chosen some resources that Crocus Group give to many children and young people after someone has died:
For younger children, the ‘Little Book of Loss’ is a great reminder of important messages to tell ourselves on the harder days, such as “Whatever has happened, it’s not your fault.” It comes with an information leaflet for the grownups.
For slightly older children, the ‘Pocketful of Plasters’ is one of the most popular resources and reminds us that sometimes we need first aid for our feelings, not just our bodies.
For teenagers, the book ‘Straight Talk about Death for Teenagers’ contains some great advice and thoughts and can bring a lot of reassurance and comfort. I wish the cover was better! One good quote from it is:
“You can’t heal what you don’t feel.
If there is pain, it’s because of a wound you can’t see.
You don’t help yourself by running away from your emotions and pretending that nothing has happened.
Accept and allow yourself to experience your hurt.
Try not to say: “I shouldn’t feel the way I do”.
Your feelings are natural and okay, even though they may be scary and painful”.
clbhighland.com 