Ask Me: Education Manifesto for Supporting Bereaved Students

 

I commit to giving bereaved students choice. 

I will ask, listen and give them choice about how they want to be supported in their grief. I’ll ditch the one-size-fits-all approach, because I recognise that each student will grieve differently. I will work with the student to understand their needs and check in regularly to understand how they might change as they move through their education. I’ll keep offering choice - to speak, to stay silent, to change their mind.    

 

I commit to leading with empathy. 
Before anything, I am human, and I will commit to treat students with kindness, compassion and empathy regardless of the challenges grief can cause. I will recognise that grief comes into the classroom and touches every part of their lives. With empathy, I can build trust and create the safety they need to learn, grow, and thrive academically and beyond.  

 

I commit to communicate. 
Even when I don’t have the perfect words, I won’t stay silent, and I will never treat grief as a taboo. I’ll communicate with bereaved students on their terms and in the way that suits them. I’ll share what needs to be shared with colleagues, so they don’t have to explain their bereavement again and again.  

 

I commit to understanding grief. 
I will keep learning about grief; how it can look, feel and change. Whether their grief is recent or years past, I will pay attention and be ready to respond with understanding, not assumptions. 

 

I commit to being flexible. 
I will make space for grief – with deadlines, lesson topics, attendance, expectations, and my approach. I know that flexibility isn’t about lowering standards; it’s about creating the conditions where bereaved students can feel safe enough to succeed. 

 

I commit to making support visible and available. 
From spaces to trusted people, from tools to time out, I will make sure bereaved students know what is there for them – and that it’s available whenever they need it.