Background Demelza provides bereavement support to families within Kent, South East London and East Sussex. Until 2018, this service had been focused on delivering three yearly events, attended by c.21 per cent of bereaved families supported by Demelza. Bereavement support (events and memory making) had been led by specific staff, volunteer support and creative arts therapists. In March 2020, a Therapeutic and Bereavement Lead joined a restructured Family Support Department, to establish an integral, theoretically sound and needs-led bereavement service in Demelza.

Aim Demelza’s bereavement services sought to provide an equitable service across the Demelza region and support those that loved the child/young person and also to make connections with other families navigating the challenges and complexities of grief. Along with reviewing strengths of the previous bereavement provision, the review provided opportunities to explore areas that needed further development.

Method Develop a Bereavement Model that identifies levels and access points that the bereavement service will provide to families, ultimately delivering a diverse array of services tailored to families’ needs and encompassing training of hospice colleagues. Resulting in every element of our bereavement service being an integral part of the service.

Results Examination and application of grief theories to Demelza’s support allowed a well-informed and sector specific model to emerge. Within the hospice environment, bereavement support is acknowledged as a collective responsibility - it is ‘everybody’s business.’ It affirms that there is no ‘Right Way or One Way’ to deliver support and remains responsive to changing needs. This service has also broadened its approach by collaborating to deliver a collaborative education programme.

Conclusion Understanding that grief is a multifaceted journey, this multifaceted bereavement service encompasses cognitive, social, cultural and spiritual dimensions of loss. Central to Demelza’s approach is active engagement with families, who drive meaningful connections and shape future services.