Media Centre
Winston’s Wish can provide information, comment and interviews to journalists and press about childhood bereavement.
Press and media enquiries on child bereavement
Planning to cover childhood bereavement? Winston’s Wish is available to provide information, comment and interviews with spokespeople and case studies. We have worked with local and national press and TV production companies.
For any media enquiries, contact our Press Office on 07894 204 199 or communications@winstonswish.org. Our email is monitored 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, outside of these hours please call the number above.
About Winston’s Wish
Winston’s Wish was the UK’s first childhood bereavement charity, founded in 1992. We are a national charity providing bereavement support to children, young people (up to 25) and their families following the death of someone close to them. Through information, on-demand services, bereavement support and counselling, we support young people across the UK to understand their feelings, process their grief and find ways to move forward with hope for a brighter future. We also help the adults who are caring for young grieving people including parents, school staff and healthcare professionals. Last year we supported an estimated 62,484 grieving children and young people.
Childhood bereavement statistics
No one knows exactly how many children are bereaved every year because that data is not collected, despite the fact that the death of parent is one of the most devastating losses a child will ever face. In the absence of official data, the following statistics are based on mortality figures, census data and other sources. There is more information available from the Childhood Bereavement Network.
- An estimated 127 children and young people under 18 are bereaved of a parent every day
- 46,300 children in the UK lose a parent before the age of 18
- On average, a parent dies every 20 minutes in the UK
- 1 in 29 children and young people have experienced the death of a parent or sibling
Our spokespeople
Our childhood bereavement experts can provide comment on:
- Childhood bereavement and how children grieve
- Advice for parents, carers and professionals on how to support a bereaved child
- Tragic events and terrorist attacks
- Children’s mental health
- Government bereavement policy
- Bereavement in schools
- Funeral advice
- Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on grieving children
To enquire about spokespeople, contact our Press Office on 01242 515 157 (9am-5pm, Monday-Friday) or communications@winstonswish.org. For out of hours contact, call 07894 204 199.
Case studies
We can provide case studies of bereaved children, young people and their families we have supported for interview. As many of their stories are of a sensitive nature, we will only put forward a case study if we think it is suitable. We have a duty of care to ensure that every single child, young person and family member will not be traumatised by doing media work.
To enquire about case studies, contact our Press Office on 07894 204 199 or communications@winstonswish.org. Our email is monitored 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, outside of these hours, please call on the number above.
Media coverage for Winston’s Wish
Channel 4 documentary: The Mummy Diaries
It has been a huge privilege collaborating with the dedicated team at Winston’s Wish on making A Killing In My Family. The charity’s child-focused approach informed every decision in the making of this sensitive programme and we couldn’t have made it without their close guidance and support. The programme is a testament to the strength of the team’s relationships with families and, I believe, with us as documentary makers.
Kirsty Cunningham, Director – Dragonfly TV
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