Bereavement Education
The Bodie Hodges Foundation Bereavement Education Support Service is a pilot project launching in February 2026.
Over an 18‑month period, the project will partner with up to ten schools to help them develop a deeper understanding of the impact of childhood bereavement. The pilot aims to equip school professionals with the skills, confidence and knowledge they need to support bereaved pupils and the wider school community effectively.
This initiative exists because of the incredible generosity of the Shoezone trust, Pukka Pies, and our wider community of supporters.
We are especially grateful to two of our families who went above and beyond by fundraising to help make this role a reality, thank you to all of you.
Charles Smith, Shoezone Trust:-
“We’re proud to support the Bodie Hodges Foundation, alongside Pukka Pies, in creating a new bereavement support role in schools. Losing a loved one is incredibly difficult, especially for young people, and having the correct support to help them through it can make all the difference. We hope this role brings comfort, connection, and a safe space for children who need it most.”
Sally Voss, Pukka Pies:-
“We are extremely proud to collaborate with the Shoezone Trust in supporting the Bodie Hodges Foundation’s new Bereavement Educator role in schools. We feel this fantastic initiative will offer young people the vital support and care needed to navigate through their grief after losing a loved one.”
The new service will offer dedicated support to schools across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland following the death of a child within their school community. Its purpose is to provide compassionate bereavement advice and guidance for everyone directly affected, including pupils, peer groups, parents and teaching staff.
A central aim of the project is to equip school professionals with the confidence, skills and understanding they need to respond to bereavement effectively.
Grief is a lifelong journey, and children benefit enormously from consistent, informed support throughout their education.
Schools will be able to access a range of support options, including:
• Staff consultation meetings offering tailored advice and guidance for the school following the death of a pupil
• Staff support sessions providing space for colleagues to debrief, reflect and explore the impact on themselves and the wider school community
• Bereavement support sessions for peer groups, led by a trained bereavement counsellor, designed to help pupils who have been directly affected
• Grief support and education for parents, helping them understand and respond to their children’s needs following the death of a peer
This service goes live on the on the 1st of February 2026 and schools can use the refer themselves by using the form below.
As this is a pilot with limited capacity, we regret that we will not be able to accept every referral we receive and will initially only be able to work with up to ten schools.
If you would like any further information, please call us on 0116 2436367 or email education@bodiehodgesfoundation.co.uk