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Provide bereavement support for individuals and others

URN: HSCCLD335
Business Sectors (Suites): Health and Social Care & Childcare Learning and Development
Developed by: Skills for Care & Development
Approved: 2026

Overview

This standard identifies the requirements when you support individuals and others through bereavement. This includes supporting individuals and others when they first learn of their loss, supporting them during the time of bereavement and to manage changes resulting from the bereavement.

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

  1. establish consent and access information to help you support individuals and others through bereavement 
  2. create appropriate environments to support individuals and others when they first learn of their loss 
  3. pace interactions so individuals and others can process the information, and you can assess their reactions 
  4. encourage individuals and others to ask questions  
  5. inform and support individuals and others with the procedures that follow death 
  6. work in partnership with individuals and others to access information, resources and support they require 
  7. provide individuals and others with privacy and time to initially adjust to the bereavement
  8. support individuals and others to express their feelings about the bereavement  
  9. work in partnership with individuals and others to identify changes and support required following the initial bereavement
  10. support individuals and others with their bereavement and to manage grief and loss in a way that meet their needs 
  11. support individuals and others to adjust to changes in a way that meets their needs 
  12. complete records and reports required for providing bereavement support for individuals and others    
  13. reflect on how you carried out your roles and responsibilities to provide bereavement support for individuals and others

Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

  1. how to access and review information to support individuals and others through bereavement 
  2. the importance of well-coordinated and timely support during bereavement 
  3. how to create appropriate environments and the importance of effective communication when individuals and others are informed about their loss
  4. the importance of dignity, kindness and compassion when providing bereavement support for individuals and others 
  5. how to support individuals and others with their emotions and the complexity of emotions during bereavement 
  6. types of bereavement support and resources available for individuals and others and how to access this 
  7. the impact of bereavement, grief and loss on individuals and relationships
  8. how to apply trauma informed principles when providing bereavement support for individuals and others 
  9. the influence of neurodivergence and additional needs on the provision of bereavement support for individuals and others  
  10. the influence of culture, background and spirituality on bereavement support for individuals and others
  11. how to use strategies to manage your own emotions and reactions when providing bereavement support for individuals and others 
  12. the workplace procedures that need to be carried out following a death
  13. the records and reports required for providing bereavement support for individuals and others
  14. theories relevant to providing bereavement support for individuals and others
  15. the relevant legal requirements, standards of practice, frameworks and guidance for providing bereavement support for individuals and others
  16. the workplace requirements on equality, diversity, inclusion, and rights when providing bereavement support for individuals and others
  17. how to work in partnership with others to provide bereavement support for individuals and others
  18. how your personal experiences and unconscious bias may impact when providing bereavement support for individuals and others, and how to address this
  19. the role of supervision, reflective practice and learning and development in providing bereavement support for individuals and others

Scope/range

Scope Performance

Scope Knowledge

Values

Behaviours

Skills

Glossary

The glossary for this National Occupational Standard is available on the Skills for Care and Development website.

Links To Other NOS

External Links

Version Number

1

Indicative Review Date

2031

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

Skills for Care & Development

Original URN

HSCCLD335

Relevant Occupations

Social Care and Childrens Care

SOC Code

Keywords

Bereavement support, Health and Social Care & Children’s Care Learning and Development