Supporting families after the unexpected death of a child: greater access to multidisciplinary bereavement services is essential

Abstract

Sudden Unexpected Death in Children (SUDIC), encompassing causes such as accidents, suicides, and unexplained medical conditions, constitutes one-third of all child deaths in higher-income countries. These events are deeply traumatic for families, leading to enduring psychological distress and significant unmet bereavement support needs. Thirty years after research first highlighted the lack of support for families affected by SUDIC, many still face isolation and limited access to bereavement care. Investigations into a child’s death often compound trauma, as families navigate interactions with police, coroners, and medical examiners without adequate emotional or practical support. Trauma experienced during this time profoundly impacts family mental health, frequently leading to conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression.

Support for professionals responding to SUDIC is also limited, leaving them vulnerable to the psychological toll of traumatic exposure. Few receive training in providing bereavement care, and many rely on coping strategies that inadvertently heighten parents' distress.

Despite these challenges, inequities persist, with palliative care frameworks historically prioritising life-limiting conditions and neglecting families affected by SUDIC. Examples of integrated bereavement care models—such as Sweden’s national guidelines, Wales’ 2Wish charity, and England’s Joint Agency Response (JAR)—demonstrate the potential for systemic solutions. However, variability in implementation and a lack of robust evaluation metrics underscore the urgent need for research to measure the effectiveness of such programmes. Healthcare systems must prioritise the integration of bereavement and emergency services to ensure immediate, culturally sensitive, and comprehensive support for SUDIC families. This requires collaboration across sectors, led by palliative care services, with investment in workforce training and psychosocial interventions. Addressing these gaps is critical to mitigating the devastating psychological toll of SUDIC on families and responders alike.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Katherine Hunt: orcid.org/0000-0002-6173-7319

ORCID for Seilin Uhm: orcid.org/0000-0002-9847-8381

ORCID for Anne-Sophie Darlington: orcid.org/0000-0003-4387-7278

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