Childhood Bereavement Network secures substantial new funding

22 August 2011

The Childhood Bereavement Network (CBN), part of leading children's charity the National Children's Bureau, is delighted to have secured significant funding from the True Colours Trust that will enable it to take forward an ambitious work programme over the next three years.

The funding will allow CBN to build on its vision that all children and young people experiencing bereavement can easily access a choice of high quality information, guidance and support, to enable them to manage the impact of death on their lives.

 Alison Penny, coordinator of CBN said: 'This funding is a resounding vindication of what the child bereavement sector has achieved so far, and a huge boost to our future. Going forward, it will enable CBN to promote effective, evidence-based approaches to supporting bereaved children, while continuing our work to sustain and develop child bereavement services in a challenging economic climate. At a time of significant change for the sector, we will be able to make sure bereaved children's needs are addressed in local and national policy.'

Over the next three years, the funding will allow CBN to undertake work including:

• Gathering a range of case studies and stories relating to bereavement to inform media work, influence policy and establish best practice

• Supporting services to demonstrate how their work has helped children, by piloting and embedding a new outcome measure

• Developing tools to demonstrate the economic and social benefits of bereavement services

• Sharing relevant research on children's grief with practitioners via via blogs, email bulletins and regional meetings

• Widening and raising the profile of CBN's membership.

ENDS

For further information, contact the NCB Media Office, media@ncb.org.uk or on 020 7843 6045 / 6047

1. The Childhood Bereavement Network (CBN), launched in 2001, is the hub for those working with bereaved children, young people and their families across the UK. We underpin our members' work with essential support and representation: bringing them together across localities, disciplines and sectors to improve bereavement care for children. Collectively, we share a vision that all children and young people in the UK, together with their caregivers, can easily access a choice of high quality local and national information, guidance and support to enable them to manage the impact of death on their lives. Visit www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk

2. The National Children's Bureau's (NCB) mission is to advance the well-being of all children and young people across every aspect of their lives. As the leading national charity which supports children, young people and families, and those who work with them, across England and Northern Ireland, we focus on identifying and communicating high impact, community and family-centred solutions. We work with organisations from across the voluntary, statutory and private sectors through our membership scheme and through the sector-led specialist networks and partnership programmes that operate under our charitable status.

3. The True Colours Trust is passionate about making a difference to the lives of children with special needs, disabilities and life-limiting illnesses, and their families. The Trust is also committed to supporting children experiencing bereavement. The Trust works closely with organisations that share its ambitions to provide imaginative, practical and often ground-breaking services in addition to delivering programmes that bring about sustained change at the level of policy or practice. The Trust makes grants in the UK and in sub-Saharan Africa. For further information, visit www.truecolourstrust.org.uk