Sudden bereavement directory

Use this page to find details of organisations who are able to provide support after bereavement. Please note that Brake accepts no responsibility for the content of external websites.

Global Africa Australasia Europe North America

Sudden

https://sudden.org/

Sudden is a global charitable initiative for suddenly bereaved people, and the people caring for them, including their families and professionals. We aim to help ease the suffering of people bereaved by any kind of sudden death – whether it’s through a road crash, suicide, disaster, war, accident, communcable disease such as COVID-19, or undiagnosed medical reasons.

Sudden offers:

Free advice about coping with a sudden bereavement
Free bulletins for professionals
Online guidance for carers
Papers and reports for professionals
Seminars, training and webinars
Support literature for bereaved adults and children

Botswana

Holy Cross Hospice
http://www.holycrosshospice.org/

Holy Cross Hospice delivers end-of-life palliative care services to people with HIV and AIDS, cancer, and other life-limiting illness.

Phone: (+27) 21 685 1128
Email: holycrosshospice@gmail.com

Namibia

Mothers’ Union Namibia
http://www.mothersunion.org/about-us/where-we-work/worldwide/namibia

The Namibian Mothers’ Union are a Christian organisation, who provide support to families in the country. Outreach teams from the group offer visits and support to bereaved people.

South Africa

Khululeka
http://www.khululeka.org/
Based in Cape Town, Khululeka Grief Support provide grief support for bereaved children and adolescents. The organisation also support teachers, childcare workers and other professionals who are working with bereaved children.

Phone: (+27) 21 685 1128
Email: admin@khululeka.org

The Compassionate Friends South Africa
http://www.compassionatefriends.co.za

The Compassionate Friends offer support to bereaved children and families in South Africa, and also provide information and education about bereavement to communities and professionals.

Phone: (011) 440-6322
Email: tcfsa@mweb.co.za

Australia

Australian Bereavement Care Centre
http://www.bereavementcare.com.au/

The Australian Bereavement Care Centre aims to provide comprehensive and accessible counselling and support services for the terminally ill and their families, and for those recently bereaved.

Phone: 1300 654 556
Email: info@bereavementcare.com.au

Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement
https://www.grief.org.au/

The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement is an independent, not-for-profit organisation. Founded in January 1996, it is the largest provider of grief and bereavement education in Australia.

Phone: +61 3 9265 2100
Email: info@grief.org.au

GriefLine
http://griefline.org.au/

GriefLine manage Australia’s only dedicated loss and grief national telephone counselling service. GriefLine provides anonymous and specialist counselling services for individuals and families. All calls are confidential and are free.

Phone: 1300 845 745

GriefLink
http://www.grieflink.asn.au/

GriefLink is an Australian information resource service for the bereaved and grieving, their carers, friends and colleagues, and for health and welfare workers.

Grief Recovery after a Substance Passing
http://grasphelp.org/

GRASP was founded to help provide sources of help, compassion and, most of all, understanding, for families or individuals who have had a loved one die as a result of substance abuse or addiction.

Phone: (302) 492-7717
Email: administrator@grasphelp.org

Lifeline
https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Lifeline is a national charity providing any Australian who is experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. Lifeline also provides bereavement support services.

Phone: (02) 6215 9400

The National Centre for Childhood Grief
http://www.childhoodgrief.org.au/

The Australian National Centre for Childhood Grief provides loving support in a safe place where children grieving a death can share their experience as they learn to live with its impact on their lives.

Phone: 1300 654-556
Email: info@childhoodgrief.org.au

Support after Suicide
http://www.supportaftersuicide.org.au/

Support after Suicide supports people bereaved by suicide, including friends, family and young people. Based in Melbourne, Australia, the programme offers counselling, group support and an online community website.

Phone: (03) 9421 7640
Email: aftersuicide@jss.org.au

New Zealand

Brake, the road safety charity
www.brake.org.nz

Brake provides support for people bereaved by road crashes in New Zealand, through free bereavement support resources for adults and children.

Phone: +64 (0)21 407 953
Email: info@brake.org.nz

Grief Centre
www.griefcentre.org.nz

The Grief Centre provides face-to-face, online and phone counselling services for people who are suffering from grief and loss. They also run bereavement support groups, and provide training and professional supervision for those working in the field of grief and loss.

Phone: 0800 331333 or +64 (9) 418 1457
Email: office@griefcentre.org.nz

Grief Support Services
www.griefsupport.org.nz

Grief Support Services provide counselling and information for everyone experiencing grief and loss in the Western Bay of Plenty region.

Phone: +64 (0)7 578 4480

Lifeline Aotearoa
www.lifeline.org.nz

Lifeline Aotearoa’s community helplines are free, anonymous and confidential. They offer support for people dealing with any issue that is causing emotional or psychological distress. They also provide specialist counselling, corporate and volunteer training, and online support for workplaces.

For immediate help or support from a counsellor:
Phone: 0800 LIFELINE (0800 54 33 54) or text ‘Help’ to 4357
Kidsline: 0800 543754
For general queries email: info@lifeline.org.nz

Loss and Grief Centre
www.lossandgriefcentre.com/

The Loss and Grief Centre supports people suffering from grief and loss in the Southland region. Services include support groups, drop-in and phone services and referrals to counselling.

Phone: +64 (0)27 443 8788
Email: lossandgriefcentre@gmail.com

Mental Health Foundation
www.mentalhealth.org.nz

MHF provides free information and support on mental wellbeing, including support for those suffering from grief and loss.

Call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor
For general enquiries email info@mentalhealth.org.nz

Sands New Zealand
Sands supports parents who have been bereaved through pregnancy, birth or infant loss. They provide phone support, support groups and information on local counselling services.

Phone: +64 (0)27 752 8289
Email: info@sands.org.nz

Skylight
www.skylight.org.nz

Skylight supports people of all ages throughout New Zealand who are facing any kind of tough life situation. They specialise in supporting children, young people and their whanau through grief, loss and trauma support.

Phone: 0800 299 100 or +64 (0)4 939 6767
Email: info@skylight.org.nz

Victim Support
www.victimsupport.org.nz

Victim Support provides free emotional and practical support, information, financial assistance and referrals to other services for anyone affected by crime or trauma. They also have specific services for those affected by homicide and suicide.

Helpline: 0800 VICTIM (0800 842 846)
General enquiries: +64 (0)4 474 8862
Email: nationaloffice@victimsupport.org.nz

European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC)
http://www.eapcnet.eu/

The EAPC work to develop palliative care and support throughout Europe. The organisation do this through offering information, research and education, and working alongside a variety of stakeholders.

France

Bereavement Support Network
http://www.bsnvar.org/

The Bereavement Support Network run a free of charge listening ear counselling service. The helpline is manned by volunteers, who provide an English language support in France.

Phone: 04 94 84 64 89 or 06 32 35 31 24

Germany

AGUS
https://www.agus-selbsthilfe.de/agus-ev/

AGUS are the largest and oldest European organisation, who provide support and services to those who have been bereaved through suicide.

Phone: 0921 – 150 03 80
Email: kontakt@agus-selbsthilfe.de

Switzerland

English Speaking Cancer Association
https://www.cancersupport.ch/

Based in Geneva, the English Speaking Cancer Association provide group support and counselling to bereaved people in Switzerland.

Phone: +41 (0) 22 791 6305
Email: info@cancersupport.ch

United Kingdom

Bereavement Advice Centre
https://www.bereavementadvice.org/

Offers a free helpline for people who are bereaved and for professionals. It also has information on its website about practical matters and coping with grief.

Phone: 0800 634 9494

Bereavement Trust
http://bereavement-trust.org.uk/

The Bereavement Trust provides translated bereavement helplines in Gujarati, Urdu, Mandarin and Cantonese.

Phone: 0800 435 455
Email: info@bereavement-trust.org.uk

Brake, the road safety charity and its National Road Victim Service
http://brake.org.uk

Brake provides support for people bereaved by road crashes in the UK, through an accredited national helpline, providing emotional support and information and advocacy from trained helpline officers.

Phone: 0808 8000401
Email: helpline@brake.org.uk

Cardiac Risk in the Young
http://www.c-r-y.org.uk/

Every week, 12 young people die of a cardiac arrest in the UK. Cardiac Risk in the Young works to promote screenings and fund medical research, and also offers emotional and clinical support to those bereaved through a sudden cardiac arrest.

Phone: 01737 363222
Email: cry@c-r-y.org.uk

Care for the Family
http://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/
Care for the Family offers a variety of resources to those who are bereaved. The charity also runs events, support days and weekends away for different age groups.

Phone: 029 2081 0800
Email: mail@cff.org.uk

Child Bereavement UK
http://childbereavementuk.org/

Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement. The organisation aims to provide families with the support they need to rebuild their lives.

Phone: 01494 568900
Email: support@childbereavementuk.org

Child Death Helpline
http://childdeathhelpline.org.uk/

The Child Death Helpline was established in 1989, and aims to provide a quality freephone service to anyone affected by the death of a child of any age. The helpline is staffed by volunteers, all of them bereaved parents.

Phone: 0800 282 986 (from landlines) / 0800 800 6019 (from mobiles)
Email: contact@childdeathhelpline.org

CHUMS
http://www.chums.uk.com/

CHUMS Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing Service for Children and Young People provides therapeutic support in a variety of ways. CHUMS offers individual support, group work, family support, family days, activity days and residential weekends.

Phone: 01525863924
Email: info@chums.uk.com

The Compassionate Friends
https://www.tcf.org.uk/

The Compassionate Friends (TCF) is a charitable organisation of bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents dedicated to the support and care of other bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents who have suffered the death of a child or children.

Phone: 0345 120 3785
Email: info@tcf.org.uk

Cruse Bereavement UK
http://www.cruse.org.uk/

Cruse Bereavement Care is the leading national charity for bereaved people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The charity offers support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies, and works to enhance society’s care of bereaved people. Cruse offers face-to-face, telephone, email and website support. Cruse also provides training and consultancy for external organisations and for those who may encounter bereaved people in the course of their work.

Phone: 020 8939 9530 (Office)/0808 808 1677 (Helpline)
Email: info@cruse.org.uk

Daisy’s Dream
https://www.daisysdream.org.uk/

Daisy’s Dream supports children and their families affected by life-threatening illness and bereavement, throughout Berkshire and the surrounding areas.

Phone: 0118 934 2604
Email: info@daisysdream.org.uk

Dying Matters
http://www.dyingmatters.org/

Dying Matters is a coalition, made up of 30,000 members across England and Wales. The organisation was established by the National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC) in 2009 to promote public awareness and discussion of dying, death and bereavement.

Phone: 0800 021 44 66

Dove Service
https://www.thedoveservice.org.uk/

Founded in 1984 by Dr Linda Machin, a leading research fellow from the University of Keele, the Dove Service is one of the UK’s leading bereavement and loss counselling charities and provides services to all people in the community from the age of 4+.

Phone: 01782 683155
Email: enquiries@thedoveservice.org.uk

Grief Encounter
https://www.griefencounter.org.uk/

Grief Encounter offers personal support and a variety of resources to those bereaved. The organisation also provides training, professional support and resources for schools.

Phone: 020 8371 8455
Email: contact@griefencounter.org.uk

Hope Again
http://hopeagain.org.uk/

Hope Again is a website provided for young people by Cruse Bereavement Care. The website provides an opportunity for young people to share stories and experiences, a gallery and also advice for young people who have been recently bereaved.

Phone: 0808 808 1677
Email: hopeagain@cruse.org.uk

The Lullaby Trust
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/

The Lullaby Trust provides specialist support for bereaved families, promotes expert advice on safer baby sleep and raises awareness on sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Phone: 020 7802 3200 (General Enquiries)
Email:office@lullabytrust.org.uk

Mosaic Family Support
http://www.mosaicfamilysupport.org.uk/

Mosaic Family Trust is a Dorset-based charity that offers support to bereaved children, young people and their families. This includes offering residential weekends and providing counselling.

Phone: 01258 837071
Email: info@mosaicfamilysupport.org

Penhaligon’s Friends
http://www.penhaligonsfriends.org.uk/

Penhaligon’s Friends is a UK charity supporting bereaved children, young people, parents and carers throughout Cornwall. The charity offers children and young people the chance to meet others and share their experiences, as well as practical resources for children and parents.

Phone: 01209 210624
Email: enquiries@penhaligonsfriends.org.uk

Samaritans
http://www.samaritans.org/

Samaritans are there for people need them, at any time of day or night. The organisation reach 228,370 people a year in schools, hospitals and the homeless.

Phone: 116 123
Email: jo@samaritans.org

SCARD – Support and Care after Road Death and Injury
http://www.scard.org.uk/

SCARD helps to relieve distress among people who have lost a loved one, been injured or affected by drunk or reckless driving. SCARD provides emotional and practical support through a telephone helpline, support groups and personal support system, and by offering free counselling at its offices in West Yorkshire.

Phone: 0345 1235542
Email: info@scard.org.uk

SeeSaw
http://www.seesaw.org.uk/

SeeSaw provides grief support for children, young people and their families in Oxfordshire when a parent is dying or has died. SeeSaw also provides bereavement advice, support and training to professionals and schools in Oxfordshire.

Phone: 01865 744 768
Email: info@seesaw.org.uk

S.P.R.I.N.G. (Supporting Parents & Relatives in Neonatal Grief)
https://www.springsupport.org.uk/

S.P.R.I.N.G. (Supporting Parents and Relatives In Neonatal Grief) was set up to provide support to parents and relatives who have experienced the death of a baby during pregnancy, at, or just after birth. This includes miscarriage, stillbirth and termination for fetal abnormality. S.P.R.I.N.G. is run by a combination of bereaved parents, relatives and caring professionals. The aim of S.P.R.I.N.G. is to befriend and support through grief. This is achieved by offering counselling, befriending and monthly support meetings.

Phone: 01202 448084
Email: friends@springsupport.org.uk

SUDEP Action
www.sudep.org

SUDEP Action provides support after an epilepsy related death. It is the only UK charity specialised in supporting and involving people who have been bereaved by epilepsy. The charity provides information on SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy). The support line offers valuable listening space and ongoing emotional support, counselling and opportunities to take part in research.

Phone: 01235 772850 (main number)
01235 772852 (support line)

Email: support@sudep.org

Suicide Bereavement
https://suicidebereavementuk.com/

Suicide Bereavement provides a signposting service to organisations, and also a blog run by Sharon McDonnell, a specialist in suicide bereavement at the University of Manchester in the UK.

Phone: 01706 827 359
Email: admin@suicidebereavementuk.com

Support after Murder and Manslaughter
https://www.samm.org.uk/

SAMM is a UK charity that supports families bereaved by murder and manslaughter. SAMM also provides advice and training to many agencies on issues relevant to the traumatically bereaved.

Phone: 0845 872 3440
Email: info@samm.org.uk

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
https://uksobs.org

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide exists to meet the needs and break the isolation experienced by those bereaved by suicide.

Phone: 0115 944 1117
Email: admin@uksobs.org

Winston’s Wish
www.winstonswish.org

Every day, more than 100 children are bereaved of a parent in the UK. Winston’s Wish was established in 1992 as the UK’s first child bereavement charity, and currently supports around 30,000 children and young people per year.

Phone: 08088 020 021
Email: info@winstonswish.org

Canada

Bereaved Families of Ontario
http://www.bereavedfamilies.net/

The organisation offer compassionate aid and support to families and individuals who have been bereaved in Ontario.

Email: info@bereavedfamilies.net

Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP)
http://suicideprevention.ca/

CASP work with professionals and practitioners to provide resources to reduce suicide rates; the organisation also provide signposting to crisis centres and support organisations.

Phone: (613) 702-4446
Email: casp@suicideprevention.ca

The Coping Centre
http://www.copingcentre.com/

COPING (Caring for Other People in Grief) were founded in 1990, and provide support and compassion to bereaved families.

Phone: 519-650-0852
Email: coping@copingcentre.com

Rainbows Canada
http://www.rainbows.ca/

Rainbows provide support and training to professionals, to enable them to work effectively with bereaved children. The organisation also provide books and resources for bereaved families.

Phone: 1-877-403-2733
Email: info@rainbows.ca

United States

AirCraft Casualty Emotional Support Services
http://accesshelp.org/

ACCESS is an air disaster bereavement support network dedicated to connecting those who have survived or lost loved ones in private, military and commercial airplane crashes, and other aviation tragedies, with individuals who have lived through similar losses.

Email: info@accesshelp.org

American Association of Suicidology
http://www.suicidology.org/

The American Association of Suicidology is a charitable, non-profit membership organisation for all those involved in suicide prevention and intervention, or affected by suicide. The organisation provides support to those bereaved by suicide, and advocates on behalf of suicide prevention initiatives.

Phone: (202) 237-2280
Email: http://www.suicidology.org/about-aas/contact-us

American SIDS Institute
http://sids.org/

Founded in 1983, the American SIDS Institute is a national, non-profit health care organisation that provides family support, promotes infant health and endorses research and education about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Phone: 239-431-5425 (based in Florida, USA)

Bereaved Parents of the USA
http://bereavedparentsusa.org/

Bereaved Parents of the USA is a national, non-profit self-help group that offers support, understanding and compassion to bereaved parents, grandparents or siblings.

GriefShare
https://www.griefshare.org/

GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. You don’t have to go through the grieving process alone.

Phone: 800-395-5755
Email: info@griefshare.org

MISS Foundation
https://missfoundation.org/

The MISS Foundation provides counselling, advocacy, research, education and support for families experiencing the death of a baby or child at any age and from any cause.

Phone: 602-279-6477 (based in Texas, USA)
Email: info@missfoundation.org

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
http://www.taps.org/

The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors offers compassionate care, a national peer support network and connections to grief resources for anyone grieving the death of a loved one serving in the US Armed Forces.

Phone: 800-959-8277 (based in Virginia, USA)