Helpline facts

• Calls from family members make up 70% of calls, with calls from professionals working with or supporting bereaved children accounting for the other 30%. 
• Mothers are the most likely to call; followed by fathers, then aunts and grandmothers.
• The person who has died is most frequently the child’s father (45% of calls), followed by the child’s mother (24%) and the child’s brother or sister (15%). 
• The most frequently mentioned cause of death is cancer (31%), followed by suicide (20%), heart problems (15%) and road traffic accidents (10%). 
• An average call lasts around 20 minutes. 
• Of the professionals supporting bereaved children who call, 32% work in education (teachers and other education professionals), 28% work in health-related fields (health visitors, nurses, doctors and other health care professionals) and 15% are in social care (social workers, probation officers and other social care professionals).
• Each year the helpline receives calls from around 5,000 people who are supporting around 10,000 bereaved children and young people.