Child grief counselling service faces closure

A counselling service for children is facing closure after losing its NHS funding.

The Lincolnshire Centre for Grief and Loss helps young people who have experienced a death, divorce or terminal illness in their family.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) has provided temporary funding since 2022, but said it was unable to continue due to cost pressures.

The organisation works with both adults and children and only its work with children would be affected by the loss of funding.

Clare Reynolds, a clinical supervisor at the charity, told the LDRS she feared there would be no help available to children going through the toughest time of their lives.

"The NHS says there are other options available, but that's not what schools are telling us," she said.

"They are devastated that we might have to close. We are the only service that goes directly into schools, including after the death of a student or staff member.

"It doesn't make sense financially either, as it will put more strain on the NHS's services. We can do a lower-level intervention before grief has escalated into mental health problems."

The charity, which is based at Lincoln's Carlton Centre, employs nine qualified counsellors and offered over 1,000 free sessions last year.

Reynolds said she hoped LPFT would reconsider, or that other funding could be found from businesses.

Eve Baird, the chief operating officer at LPFT, said the trust had provided temporary financial support following an increase in demand during the covid pandemic after funding from Lincolnshire County Council ended three years ago.

"During this time, all parties have tried to secure more permanent funding to support the continuation of their service. Unfortunately, this has not been possible," she said.

"Like all NHS trusts, LPFT is trying to address increasing financial pressures on services and look at how we can continue to work within the resources we have available to meet need and make best use of taxpayers' money.

"The Trust has to prioritise the funding it receives to provide its statutory and mandated services, including supporting children and young people with their mental health."

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