Hello I am new to this forum and am looking for any advice on how to support my niece. She has four children aged 12’ 10’ 6 and baby girl 1. I june this year their dad was killed in an accident. She is struggling to cope with her grief and that of her children. She is suffering from panic attacks and anxiety and th eldest is starting to go off the rails. I am at a loss as to how to help the, apart from being there and listening. She has been told she has to wait three months for grief counselling for them all and is currently on a second course of antidepressants. Does she really have to wait for three months for counselling.
Dear Jrob,
Welcome to Sue Ryder Online Community. I’m so sorry for your loss. I cannot even imagine how hard it must be for your niece and her children, but it’s good that they have your support. Being there for them and just listening can make a big difference, so I will encourage you to continue doing that.
There’s a charity called Cruse Bereavement Care that offers free face-to-face and group bereavement support. It could be a good idea for your niece to contact them, as they might be able to see her sooner. Their website is https://www.cruse.org.uk/ and she can also call their freephone on 0808 808 1677.
Regarding her children, there’s a charity for bereaved children called Winston’s Wish that offers specialised support. It could be a good idea to call their freephone on 08088 020 021. Their website is https://www.winstonswish.org.uk/. Child Bereavement UK is also a good organisation to contact: https://childbereavementuk.org/
If your niece feels that talking with other people who have gone through the same could help her, you could recommend her our online community. Our users often find that being able to share their experience here makes a big difference.
I hope this helps, but if you have any questions about this site, or there is anything I can help with, please let me know.
Best wishes,
Irene