For Clients, General Practitioners and referral sources.

 

Traumatically bereaved children and young people experience significant distress and difficulties, over and above a more typical grief. Traumatic bereavement can be easily missed or misunderstood by parents, teachers and even bereavement practitioners, meaning that children’s difficulties are not recognised.

What is Traumatic Bereavement?

In a traumatic bereavement, how the child or the young person experiences or understands the death – the meaning they make of it – results in it being experienced as traumatic.

The trauma gets in the way of the typical process of grief and blocks the child or young person’s ability to process the loss.

A child can experience traumatic bereavement at any age. Any type of death can result in a traumatic bereavement. Traumatically bereaved children and young people experience significant distress and difficulties, over and above a more typical grief. It is vital that these children are identified and given the appropriate help and support.

Why is meaning-making so important?

The video “When a bereavement is traumatic: meaning-making” introduces what traumatic bereavement is and what schools and colleges can do to help.

 
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External Clinical Resources and Helplines

Mental Health Helpline

Manned by trained counsellors from the Institute of Mental Health for those requiring advice on mental health issues.

Tel: 6389 2222 (24 hours)

Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH) Helpline

Provides information and assistance on mental health matters and psychosocial issues.

Tel: 1800-283 7019 (Mon - Fri; 9am to 6pm)

Dementia Helpline by Alzheimer’s Disease Association

Provides information and assistance on caring for a person with dementia.

Tel: 6377 0700 (Mon - Fri; 9am to 6pm)

Dementia InfoLine by Health Promotion Board

For advice and information on dementia-related queries (available in all 4 language - English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil).

Tel: 1800-223 1123 (Mon - Fri; 8.30am to 5pm, and Saturday; 8.30am to 1pm)

Samaritans of Singapore (SOS)

Provides confidential emotional support for those in crisis, thinking of suicide or affected by suicide.

Tel: 1800-221 4444 (24 hours)

National Addictions Management Service (NAMS) All Addictions Helpline

Provides a range of services to assist people who are dealing with addiction problems.

Tel: 6732 6837 (Mon - Fri; 8.30am to 6pm)

National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) Helpline

Provides information and help for problem gamblers and their families.

Tel: 1800-666 8668 (24 hours)

Touchline by Touch Youth Services

Renders emotional support and practical advice to youth.

Tel: 1800-377 2252 (Mon - Fri; 9am to 6pm)

Tinkle Friend Helpline by Singapore Children’s Society

Provides support, advice and information to primary school children in distress, especially in situations when their parents or main caregivers are unavailable.

Tel: 1800-274 4788 (Mon - Fri; 2.30pm to 5pm)

Club HEAL

Helps persons with mental health issues to reintegrate back into the community.

Tel: 6899 3463 (Mon - Fri; 9am to 5pm)

Silver Ribbon

Supports persons with mental health issues and their families.

Tel: 6386 1928 (Mon - Fri; 9am to 5pm)

Caregivers Alliance Limited

Supports caregivers of persons with mental health issues.

Tel: 6460 4400 (main line); 6388 2686 (Caregivers Support Centre)