Bereavement facts and figures

When working with people who are grieving, statistics can only paint one part of the picture. They can give some indication of the number of children who experience bereavement each year – and how our services respond. They cannot, of course, begin to describe the huge range of responses and reactions that bereaved people experience.

• Every 22 minutes a child in Britain is bereaved of a parent.
• Over 24,000 children are bereaved of a parent each year in Britain. 
• Over 500 children a year receive in-depth help from Winston's Wish, including family consultations, individual and group support, plus follow-up meetings. 
• Every year the Helpline supports around 3,500 families and professionals, benefiting an estimated 7,000 children.