Retrospective Perspectives of a Child Bereavement Intervention.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Retrospective Perspectives of a child bereavement intervention: How did the child bereavement charity Winston's Wish help?
IRAS ID
173653
Contact name
Kate Hill
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 2 days
Research summary
It has been demonstrated that a significant bereavement during childhood can have a detrimental impact upon a range of developmental and life factors (Aynsley- Green, Penny & Richardson, 2012; Ribbens McCarthy, 2005). It is estimated that 24,000 children are bereaved every year. Across the UK there is a range of child bereavement services, which appear to differ according to wide variety of factors, dependant on location, and type of bereavement and age of children (Rolls, 2007). Due to this it has been difficult to measure outcomes and develop an evidence base for services. As one of the leading child bereavement charities, Winston's Wish, is interested in understanding further what works for children who have been bereaved. ‘What works’ is defined as what the individual understands to have helped them to process the loss and develop a relationship with the person who has died.
In order to understand this, the study aims to interview ten adults who were bereaved as children, and their parents, who accessed support from Winston's Wish. Although bereavement in childhood has individual difficulties and often complex reactions, research has shown that the majority of children (two thirds) typically show a decrease in psychological difficulties up to a year following the bereavement and adapt well (Haine, 2008). Therefore we aim to interview participants at least 2 years following the bereavement, the aim of this is to minimise any re-traumatisation and also that they should be able to reflect upon the bereavement in the interview.
For the purpose of the study we will be using interviews to understand individual perspectives on what worked and what didn't work within the childhood bereavement service, Winston's Wish. The adult bereaved as a child and their parent will be interviewed separately, with interviews lasting up to two hours. Participants will be interviewed either in the Winston’s Wish offices, or in a location of their choosing.REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/SC/0269
Date of REC Opinion
1 Jul 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion