Starbucks Haymarket

Nelson's Journey is a charity that supports children and young people in Norfolk who have experienced the death of someone close to them. We help them deal with their bereavement issues to help them move on positively with their lives. Many of the young people we see have experienced the sudden death of a parent, sibling or significant other as a result of road traffic accident, murder, suicide, sudden illness or drink/drug related deaths. It is not unusual for the children to have witnessed these deaths or have been involved in the events immediately afterwards. Our experience shows that children need adequate information about the circumstances of the death. Without this, children are likely to fill in the gaps with their own imagination, which can create feelings of guilt or other problems in life. It is currently estimated that 1 in 29 school aged children have experienced the death of a parent or sibling, in Norfolk this equates to approximately 3,825 children. This figure is significantly higher when pre-school children and 17 year olds are included. Our vision is to give every bereaved child in Norfolk the support they need to move forward positively with their lives, never having to cope with their loss alone. We know offering the right help at the right time gives them the best chance of avoiding long-term mental and emotional health issues, which can lead to educational problems, drug and alcohol abuse and law-breaking. Our range of group interventions for children and young people include: therapeutic weekends, activity days (including a day for children and young people with Special Educational Needs), NJ Clubs (youth club style groups for bereaved children and young people) and therapeutic family events such as our annual Walk of Smiles and Carol Concert. 1:1 work in-house at Smiles House and also outreach at school or in the home is also available and includes coping mechanisms for the children we work with to deal with their emotions, as well as therapeutic memory work around the person who died. It costs us around £522 to provide a full package of support to a child who has experienced the death of a loved one. This includes a full assessment of their bereavement needs, 1:1 support with one of our bereavement support workers and a therapeutic residential weekend at Hilltop Outdoor Centre where they can meet other children their own age who have had similar experiences to themselves. They will also learn coping mechanisms at these weekends, to help them rebuild their confidence and deal with their emotional issues.