The Marfleet Foundation is the brainchild of Emma Marfleet.
Emma has a degree in Education from Homerton College, Cambridge University. She has worked as a Class Teacher in both KS1 and KS2, an Advanced Skills Teacher offering outreach peer support in a range of primary schools across North London, and a Deputy Head Teacher in Camden. She is Vice Chair of the Governing body to an Ofsted rated Outstanding Infant and Nursery school in Richmond.
She is a widowed mother to 3 school-aged boys.
The Child Bereavement UK (CBUK) report (2018) found that 80% of teachers receive no training in how to support bereaved children, a statistic that includes Headteachers and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Co-ordinators. While some schools may contact local hospices or child bereavement charities for assistance, bereavement support is not currently part of the national teacher training programme nor is it statutory for schools to have a Bereavement Policy.
As an ex-Deputy Headteacher of a primary school, I wasn’t surprised by this statistic. I know from first-hand experience that the majority of educators want to support bereaved children well and meet their needs but lack the experience and confidence to do so (McManus & Paul, 2019). The impact of good support cannot be underestimated.
“Research shows that bereaved children are more likely to experience anxiety, isolation, poorer mental health (Fauth et al 2009) and lower school attainment (Abdelnoor and Hollins 2004). ”
Many schools are already nurturing environments, where a culture of growth and compassion exists for both children and staff. My training is designed to reassure and empower educators to know what to do when they have a child bereaved of a significant family member in school. With the delivery of proactive training, and supply of resources they can turn to when most needed educators will confidently support all children experiencing a form of loss in their lives.
