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When someone dies and it’s down to you to break the news, the way you deliver the message is crucial for the person you have to speak to, and for yourself. Whether you are breaking the news to a close relative, friend or carer, or to someone you don’t know very well, the following guidelines may help.
Breaking bad news guidelines
Knowing what to say and how to say it to children and young people suffering from bereavement can be very hard. However, children tend to grieve differently from adults as they do not experience the same prolonged, intense feelings adults do. Advice from experts is to be honest and clear about what has happened. Keep language simple, and be ready to answer questions truthfully. If you don’t know how to broach it, or you feel you are making things worse, do seek help from organisations such as Winston’s Wish which specialise in providing help and support to anyone concerned about a grieving child, or needing help in knowing what to do or what to say.
This content has been funded by Macmillan Cancer Support.
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