The Road Safety Trust provides vital funding for support books for children bereaved in road crashes
The Road Safety Trust is delighted to announce new funding for Brake to provide free support books for children bereaved in road crashes and their adult carers.
Someone has died in a road crash is a picture book for children to read with adults after a road death. It uses simple language and colourful pictures to communicate important messages and encourage open and honest discussion between children and their carers. The book covers challenging subjects such as why people die and what different people believe happens after you die. It aims to help families in distress to share emotions and support each other at a bleak time.
Helping children bereaved by road death is a guide for adults who are caring for bereaved children. As well as helping adults understand how to use the children's book effectively, it provides general guidance on supporting children bereaved by road crashes.
Both books are given to bereaved families by their police contact after a road death and are available to download for free on the Brake website at www.brake.org.uk/support-literature.
The new funding from The Road Safety Trust ensures a continuous supply of both books to families bereaved by road crashes for the next 12 months.
Ross Moorlock, chief executive at Brake, said: “Last year, Brake’s National Road Victim Service supported more than 1500 families during their darkest and most difficult times, following the death of a loved one in a road crash. Many of those families are also supporting a child or children who have lost a parent, grandparent or sibling.
“We know that after a road crash, children’s needs are often the same as adults’ needs – they need to feel safe, supported, calm, informed and involved. These books are an important tool to help bereaved children understand what has happened and talk about how they feel, as they cope with their grief and adjust to a new life.
“We are a charity, and in the absence of government funding, we rely on the generosity of our supporters to fund our work. We are so grateful to The Road Safety Trust for their generous funding to help road victim families.”
Ruth Purdie OBE, chief executive of The Road Safety Trust, said: “We are very pleased to be able to support Brake in providing these invaluable resources to families facing the tragic loss of a loved one in a road crash. At The Road Safety Trust, we recognise the vital importance of post-crash care and support, including helping children understand and process their grief in such horrific circumstances.
“By funding these books, we aim to ensure that no bereaved child goes without the compassionate support they need, as part of our commitment to supporting projects that not only enhance road safety, but also bring comfort and resilience to families in extremely challenging times.”
The Road Safety Trust is an independent grant-giving trust supporting projects and research that make UK roads safer for all road users.
5 November 2024