Helping Children to Say Goodbye: an Evaluation of the Training Needs of Teachers in Supporting Parentally Bereaved Children in Mainstream Primary Schools

According to statistics, seventy percent of all UK schools have a bereaved child on roll at any one time. But despite findings such as these, an alarming divide appears to exist in the pedagogical world between the ideologies of providing effective pastoral care and the drive to exceed academic attainment levels; in arguable favour of capitalist gain. Whilst teachers may be unfairly accused of potentially neglecting the welfare of children within their care, other leading factors such as the restrictions on school budgetting and the evolution of governmental ideals should not be overlooked. This research project will therefore investigate the extent of which teachers are prepared as a result of training to meet the needs of bereaved children and young people in their care and whether existing training provision; in itself, is adequate enough in meeting the diverse needs of today's generation.