The loss of a loved one is a universal human experience. Within Europe, there are different approaches to grief support and bereavement care. However, the need for up-to-date, accessible and reliable information on the latest developments in grief research and clinical practice crosses borders and boundaries.
At the BNE, we seek to provide timely and well-informed information and guidance for professionals working in the field of grief and bereavement in Europe.
A Pyramid Model Of Grief And Bereavement Support
We adopt a public health model for bereavement which is illustrated as a pyramid. It views bereavement as a natural life event, however one which we have increasingly become removed from, as societies and individuals.
Hence public education about grief empowers individuals, communities and formal social structures to better understand bereavement and to better support each other (Level 0). This is the basis of the public health model.
The public health model next considers accurate information, support from family, social and care networks as the first level of bereavement support (Level 1).
A range of identifiable risk factors mean some bereaved people will benefit from more organized support, for example, peer-led groups, pscyho-education in community settings (Level 2).
Smaller proportions of bereaved people with additional stressors and disruptions to their grief will require specialist therapeutic responses (Level 3).