The Compassionate Friends

How They Help:
Free peer-support groups, one-to-one matching, online forums, magazines, retreats and resources for anyone who has lost a child (of any age, by any cause).

Who It’s For:
Parents, grandparents, siblings and surviving children in the UK who are grieving the death of a child; plus the adults who grieve for a child even if they don’t have surviving children themselves.

Overview
The Compassionate Friends is a UK charity dedicated to supporting people bereaved by the death of a child. They provide a helpline (0345 123 2304) staffed by trained volunteers who have themselves been bereaved; the helpline runs daily during set hours. They maintain a large library of leaflets and publications addressing many different types of loss (for example, the death of a baby, teenager, adult child, or by suicide/incarceration/road traffic incident) and also offer sibling-specific support. The charity arranges local in-person support groups, online support groups and informal walks to help connect people and reduce isolation. They also publish a magazine called Compassion and host retreats for deeper support.