Our 2026 Bereaved Sibling Professionals Network Event
Our Bereavement Professionals Event at Warwick Castle!
In September, we brought together around 20 bereavement professionals from across the UK for our latest Bereavement Professionals Network event, held at the historic Warwick Castle.
The day was an opportunity for professionals working with bereaved children, young people and families to come together, learn from different perspectives, share ideas and experiences, and network with others doing similar work across the country.
The day brought together three different perspectives on bereavement and sibling grief, alongside plenty of time for conversation, and a private guided tour of Warwick Castle.
Understanding Child Death Reviews
Our first speaker was Vicky Sleap, Deputy Director at the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD)
Vicky introduced the function of the National Child Mortality Database and explained the process followed in England when a child dies and a Child Death Review takes place.
She also explained the role that professionals can play in the Child Death Review process. This provided an opportunity for attendees to consider how their own work fits into the wider picture following the death of a child, and the importance of bringing together information and perspectives from different services.
The session offered valuable insight into a process that many professionals may encounter as part of their work, while highlighting the importance of every professional understanding their role and contribution.
“This is a topic that I am passionate about and want to make sure that we get right in our hospice”
Supporting Bereaved Siblings with Learning Disabilities and Neurodivergence’s
We were then joined by Dr Sarah Helton, Back Pocket Teacher and Consultant for Child Bereavement UK.
Sarah focused on an important area of bereavement support: how siblings with learning disabilities and neurodivergences can experience grief.
Sarah explored some of the ways grief can be experienced and expressed differently, and considered how professionals can adapt their approach to provide the best possible support following the death of a brother or sister.
The session encouraged attendees to think about the individual needs of bereaved siblings and how we can make sure that support is accessible, appropriate and responsive to the person in front of us.
“This talk was very interesting. I became more aware of different ways to support siblings.”
A Bereaved Sibling's Perspective
Our final speaker brought a different, and deeply personal, perspective to the day.
Jack Waddington is a London-based writer, practising artist and secondary school art teacher.
Jack’s debut memoir, I’m on a Journey to See You, Sam, was written in the days and months following the death of his younger brother, Sam, who lived with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Jack spoke openly about his experience of anticipatory grief, Sam's death, and his own journey through grief. He also shared his approach to managing grief and the ways that writing and art have helped him explore memory, grief and the complicated ways people remain present in our lives after they are gone.
For professionals supporting bereaved siblings, hearing directly from someone with lived experience offers an important opportunity to reflect on what support can look and feel like from the perspective of the sibling themselves.
“Fantastic talk, really moving and I can’t wait to read his book”
Time to Network and connect
Alongside the talks and discussions, the day also gave everyone plenty of time to meet and talk with other professionals working in bereavement support.
With attendees joining us from different organisations and areas of the UK, there was a real opportunity to share experiences, resources, challenges and ideas.
We also had the chance to step away from the more formal parts of the day and explore Warwick Castle on a private guided tour, giving everyone some time to chat and connect in a very different setting.
“The whole day has been inspirational. It made me reflect on my own personal grief journey and supporting bereaved siblings.”
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed so openly throughout the day.
We are particularly grateful to Vicky Sleap, Dr Sarah Helton and Jack Waddington for sharing their knowledge, expertise and experiences with us.
Our Professionals Network events are about creating space for the people supporting bereaved children and young people to learn from one another, build connections and take new ideas back into their own work.
We really look forward to bringing our network together again soon!
To find out more information about our Bereaved Sibling Professionals Network, head to our website.
Or if you’d like to get involved with the Network, send us an email!
Thank you so much for all of your continued support.