Bereaved Through Substance Use

Guidance for practitioners

Guidance produced by

a working group of 12 professionals & bereaved people, using their own experience and research findings from:

100 interviews with 106 bereaved adults 6 focus groups with 40 professionals and bereaved people

The research was conducted by the Universities of Bath & Stirling and funded by the Economic & Social Research Council, 2012-15 http://www.bath.ac.uk/cdas/research/understanding-those-bereaved-through-substance-misuse/

About the guidelines

1. Developed by practitioners for practitioners.

2. Not specifically for bereaved people.

3. Generic – certain professional groups or organisations may wish to consider extra things.

5 key messages

1. Show kindness & compassion.2. Language is important. 3. Every bereaved person is an

individual. 4. Everyone can make a contribution. 5. Work together.

1. SHOW KINDNESS & COMPASSION.

Read the two quotes on p.6

What would it be like for you to go and talk to a worker or professional about what you believe is a difficult and shameful thing in your life?

2. LANGUAGE IS IMPORTANT

Read the two quotes on p.8

Consider how these bereaved people felt. Think of a time when you had to talk to a worker or professional about a personal matter you found emotive. When they spoke to you, what kind of language and attitude helped you, and what did not?

3. EVERY BEREAVED PERSON IS AN INDIVIDUAL

Read the two quotes on p.10

Think of a time when someone made assumptions about you and what you were saying. How did you feel? How did if affect the conversation?

4. EVERYONE CAN MAKE A CONTRIBUTION

If you have worked with a person bereaved through substance use, did you do all you could in the circumstances?

If you have not yet worked with someone, consider all that you could do and how you would do it.

Next, read the two quotes on p.12. Notice what a difference our contribution can make.

5. WORKING TOGETHER

Have you dealt with someone bereaved through substance use? If you have, do you think you worked well with other organisations? Or could more have been done?

If you have not dealt with someone bereaved through substance use, consider which other organisations might be able to help.

5. WORKING TOGETHER

Look carefully at the map on the next slide.

It shows over 40 agencies & individuals who may support someone bereaved through substance use.

Which agencies might you work with that you had not previously considered?

Thank you for considering the Guidelines and we wish you every success putting them into practice.

http://www.bath.ac.uk/cdas/research/understanding-those-bereaved-through-substance-misuse/