Below you will find a list of available bereavement support services to you, which include more general support services as well as more bespoke support services depending on the circumstances around the bereavement.
If your child has experienced bereavement, there are a number of services that offer bespoke support for children and young people in Dorset. One of these being Mosaic, and you can find more details about their service and how to refer in from this leaflet [1]. The full list of bereavement services for children and young people can be accessed here [2].
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS (FOR ADULTS)
- Bereavement Services: Free Support for Bereaved People (thenbs.org) [3] – general support and advice about bereavement, from the National Bereavement Service.
- Cruse Bereavement Support [4] – offers face-to-face, telephone, email and online support for anyone who has experienced a loss.
- The Good Grief Trust [5] – a charity run by bereaved people, helping all those experiencing grief in the UK. Provides information and stories about grief and bereavement, including a map of UK bereavement services [6].
- Sue Ryder [7] – offers bereavement support
- At a loss [8] – find bereavement services and counselling across the UK
FOR BEREAVEMENT BY SUICIDE:
- SOBS (Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide) [9] – for adults who have lost a loved one by suicide
- Support After Suicide [10] – advice for adults who have lost a loved one by suicide
FOR BEREAVEMENT BY DRUGS OR ALCOHOL:
- BEAD | The BEAD Project [12] – (Bereaved through Alcohol and Drugs) – support when someone dies as a result of alcohol or drug abuse
- Alcohol-related bereavement | Alcohol Change UK [13] – a fact sheet with support and advice when bereaved by an alcohol related death
- Living-with-drug-or-alcohol-related-bereavement-2025.pdf [14] – 24 page guide when someone has recently lost a family member or friend to drugs or alcohol
FOR BEREAVEMENT AFTER LOSS OF A CHILD:
- Child Bereavement UK [15] – offers support if you are bereaved after losing a child. Or if you’re a child or young person who is grieving after losing someone.
- Child Death Helpline [16] – helpline for all those affected by the death of a child.
- The Compassionate Friends [17] – find support for bereaved parents and their families, including a helpline.
- Sands [18] – information and support for anybody affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby. Support includes a helpline and live support chat.
FOR BEREAVEMENT AFTER LOSS OF A SIBLING:
- Sibling Support [19] – support, advice, stories and free resources for young people who have lost a brother or sister. Also has helpline with Child Bereavement Network 0800 1026175
- Sibling Grief Club – A community for bereaved siblings. [20] – connect bereaved adult siblings through webinars and a supportive community
- Adult sibling bereavement – Sibs [21] – For brothers and sisters of disabled children and adults
OTHER BEREAVEMENTS OF A SPECIFIC NATURE:
- Dying Matters [22] – resources to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life.
- The Loss Foundation [23] – offers support to people who have lost someone to cancer. Includes free support groups, walking events, workshops and a peer connection service.
- WAY (Widowed and Young) [24] – advice for people who have lost a partner before their 51st birthday.
If you were wanting more general support for your mental health, the following organisations can provide this:
- Samaritans [25] – if you’re struggling you can call Samaritans any time on 116 123 [26] to talk about anything. You can also email them at jo@samaritans.org [27]
- Steps 2 Wellbeing [28] – a free, NHS Talking Therapies service for adults over 18 in Dorset and Southampton
- Hub of Hope [29] – database of mental health services in the UK, including community, charity, private and NHS mental health support.
- The Koru Project [30] – trauma-informed therapeutic support for children and families