Scotty’s Little Soldiers and Child Bereavement UK have established a new partnership to ensure that children and young people can access the support they need after the devastation of the death of a parent. The charities will work in partnership to raise awareness of the support that is available, to train professionals, and share and develop resources. They will also work together on policies to improve outcomes for bereaved families.
Scotty’s Little Soldiers is a charity dedicated to supporting children and young people, 0 to 25 years, who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
Inspired by the experience of Army widow Nikki Scott following the death of her husband, Corporal Lee Scott, in Afghanistan in 2009, the charity, which was set up in 2010, provides support and guidance to hundreds of bereaved military children and young people throughout their childhood.
So far this year, Scotty’s has supported over 680 young people and provides its members with access to bereavement support, outstanding development opportunities and the chance to smile again. The charity has a long-term goal to support over 1,000 children annually by 2030.
Child Bereavement UK helps families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. The charity supports children and young people (up to the age of 25) when someone important to them has died or is not expected to live, and parents and the wider family when a baby or any age dies or is dying. Child Bereavement UK provides training to professionals in health and social care, education, and the voluntary and corporate sectors, equipping them to provide the best possible care to bereaved families.
Commenting on the partnership, Maninder Hayre, Director of Services and Partnerships at Child Bereavement UK, said:
“We’re very pleased to be able to work closely with Scotty’s Little Soldiers in their important work with bereaved Armed Forces families through this partnership. We hope it will enable us to improve outcomes for bereaved children and young people across the UK and to benefit from Scotty’s Little Soldiers’ huge experience in supporting grieving Armed Forces families.”
Stuart Robinson, CEO of Scotty’s Little Soldiers said:
“Child Bereavement UK have a wealth of experience in supporting families when a child grieves, and Scotty’s has expertise in working with bereaved military families, so we are really pleased to be working together to share best practice and knowledge. It’s an exciting partnership with lots of potential to improve the support available to bereaved children and young people.”
