At Living On, our Buddying Service offers a more informal, yet deeply meaningful, type of support. It is centred on the needs of the bereaved child but is delivered through a holistic, family-wide approach that recognises grief as something that affects the entire household.
The buddying service involves our trained volunteers and family support workers building compassionate, consistent relationships with families from the earliest point of bereavement. Many bereavement services are not able to offer support to bereaved children until 6-8 months after the death. We want to be accessible to families straight away but understand that the support will need to be slightly different and bespoke to the needs of the family. This might include helping families create memory boxes, offering support during difficult appointments—such as visiting funeral directors—or simply going for a walk, having a coffee, or being a reliable voice on the end of the phone. We also offer home visits to ensure the family feels supported in a familiar and safe environment.