Support for people bereaved by suicide
When someone dies by suicide it can turn your world upside down and the feelings you have can be powerful, deeply painful and overwhelming. You can find out more about the help and support available to you in the Support for People Bereaved by Suicide leaflet.
Cruse Scotland provides professional support for bereaved adults, children and families across Scotland. CRUSE also provides free support to workplaces where there has been a suicide. E: support@crusescotland.org.uk https://www.crusescotland.org.uk/0808 802 6161 Open weekdays 9am - 8pm and weekends 10am - 2pm
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide SOBS: Peer led support to adults impacted by suicide loss. Helpline 0300 111 5056 (open everyday 9am—7pm) https://uksobs.org/
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide Borders support group: SOBS groups are run by volunteers who have lived experience of bereavement by suicide. Meets 1st Tuesday of the month, 6:30 - 8:30pm, Galashiels. Contact the local co-ordinator on 0770 4691 111 or email scottishborders@uksobs.org
Facing the Future: Developed by Samaritans and Cruse Bereavement Support to help support people who have been bereaved by suicide. Facing the Future support groups are run on Zoom and give people the opportunity to meet others who have lost someone to suicide and receive support. Support groups run weekly for six consecutive weeks and last for 90 minutes with a maximum of eight participants. Groups are free of charge and are run by two trained volunteer facilitators. https://www.facingthefuturegroups.org
PETAL (People Experiencing Trauma and Loss): Offers therapy and counselling services for people who are experiencing bereavement grief and loss as a direct result of suicide. PETAL currently also provide a service for children and young people age aged between 12 and 24. T: 01698 324502 E: Info@petalsupport.com http://www.petalsupport.com
Touched by Suicide Scotland: Aims to provide a safe, confidential environment where bereaved people can share their experiences. They offer emotional and practical support in the form of a telephone helpline, help by e-mail and online one to one support. https://touchedbysuicidescotland.wordpress.com/ Telephone Helpline: Linda 01294 274273
After a suicide booklet (SAMH): Provides further information about the practical issues that might need to be faced after a suicide and discusses some of the emotions you might be experiencing.
The film, Healing The Loss, explores places of special meaning where people remember their loved one lost to suicide. One such place is the Clootie Tree in the the Scottish Borders, where a group of people bereaved by suicide have come together in their shared experience and dedicated the tree to people who have died by suicide. This film is for anyone who has experienced bereavement by suicide, has supported someone bereaved by suicide, or would like to find out more information about the After A Suicide Working Group in the Scottish Borders. Click here to watch the film.
Child Bereavement UK provide support across Scotland for anyone affected by the death of a child of any age; and children and young people up to the age of 25 who are facing bereavement. Helpline: 0800 02 888 40
Compassionate Friends offer support for parents, siblings and grandparents who have experienced the death of a child (at any age). Helpline: 0345 123 2304. Online support groups also available.
SUPPORTING PEOPLE BEREAVED BY SUICIDE WHO ARE NEURODIVERGENT
For those who are neurodivergent, accessing support after a bereavement by suicide can be hard. The Support After Suicide Partnership has produced a new guide to help professionals support people who are, or may be, neurodivergent.
Written by neurodivergent writer, Maxine Roper, alongside a working group of lived experience advisors and specialist organisations/SASP members: Ambitious About Autism, ADHD Foundation and Autistica, it offers practical advice to lower barriers to support.
To download the guide click HERE
You can watch an introductory webinar about the guide including a panel discussion HERE
PAPYRUS HOPELINE
· For children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide
· For anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide
HOPELINE is also a Debrief Service for any professional who has had an experience with suicide and would like to talk it through with a trained professional for instance first responders, doctors, nurses, police, counsellors, teachers and pastoral staff. To debrief with one of their suicide prevention advisers, T: 0800 068 4141, text 07860 039967 or E: pat@papyrus-uk.org