The Story Behind CUBS Bereavement Support

If you had said to me before 2022 that one day I would be supporting children through grief, I never would have believed you.

Life has a funny way of writing a path for you, and I truly believe this was meant to be.

I lost my own Dad in 2022 and, although that loss will always be incredibly sad, what came from it was a real understanding of what grief feels like when you lose someone you love. It also opened my eyes to how little we talk about death and grief as a society — especially with children.

As adults, we often struggle to know how to navigate grief ourselves, let alone know how to support children through it. That realisation sparked something in me: a passion to help make conversations around death, grief and loss feel more normal, more open, and less taboo.

The idea for CUBS Bereavement Support actually began over a Christmas meal with a fellow childminder who is also a close friend, alongside our husbands. We found ourselves talking about grief and our own experiences of loss, and the conversation naturally turned to how much support is needed for children — and how little there currently is available locally.

That conversation stayed with me.

From that moment, the idea began to grow. I felt naturally drawn towards it and threw myself into researching what support already existed, what was missing, and what families really needed. I spoke to local charities, met with Child Bereavement UK, reached out to people who had experienced loss while raising children, and also spoke with people living with terminal illness to better understand their thoughts and experiences.

One thing became very clear very quickly — there is a real need for more support, understanding, and open conversations around grief.

As I researched training opportunities, I found myself constantly drawn back to the STILL Method, and eventually I decided to go for it.

The training was incredible. It was eye-opening, emotional, inspiring, and only strengthened my passion for wanting to help children navigate grief in a gentle and supportive way.

The one thing that is certain in life is that every single one of us will experience grief at some point. I truly believe that if grief and death were talked about more openly, we would all feel more equipped to cope with those experiences when they come.

Something many people may not realise is that from September 2026, grief and bereavement education will become part of the RSHE curriculum in schools. This means schools will be expected to teach children about grief, loss, and bereavement in age-appropriate ways — which feels like such a positive and important step forward.

Alongside 1:1 and group grief support sessions, I also offer grief education within schools, including PSHE sessions and staff training.

Since launching my social media pages, I have been overwhelmed by the kindness, encouragement and positive feedback I’ve received. I have already had enquiries from families, which has only reinforced how needed this support is.

Behind the scenes, my husband and I have been busy building this website, ordering workbooks and resources, and creating a calm, safe space where children can feel supported and understood.

Next on my to-do list is creating leaflets and continuing to connect with the local community so more families, schools and organisations know who I am, what I offer, and how I can support children through grief.

I hope you like the new website — it has been designed with calm in mind.

Thank you for following along and supporting this new chapter. I’m so excited to continue growing CUBS Bereavement Support and sharing more with you soon.

Georgia 🤍