How Stars can help
Stars is a children’s bereavement support service for young people finding it difficult to cope with the loss of someone significant in their life.
It offers specialist bereavement support and counselling to those aged 4-19 in Cambridgeshire.
Bereavement can be extremely challenging to deal with at any age, but for young people feelings of grief can be particularly severe.
Stars’ counsellors in Cambridgeshire listen to the emotional needs of young people and encourage them to express painful feelings through creative play and work.
These sessions help young people to access and manage unspoken feelings and make sense of what has happened in their lives. By improving communication about their feelings with family members, young people are able to reduce feelings of isolation and create the possibility of hope for the future while cherishing memories of a lost loved one.
How we work
Stars is open to referrals for any child or young person of 4-19 years of age, or up to 24 years of age in special circumstances, whose home or school is in Cambridgeshire, and who has experienced the death of a close family member or other significant person.
- Once we have accepted a referral, we will arrange an initial assessment. We may then offer up to six sessions of counselling for most cases and up to nine for more complex cases.
- We also provide telephone advice to families and schools supporting children and young people experiencing or facing close bereavement.
- We do not provide an urgent response to acute mental health issues arising or aggravated by bereavement. Please contact your GP for a referral to NHS mental health services if you think that a child or young person needs urgent attention.
- We are unable to accept referrals for children and young people who live in Peterborough. Referrals from Peterborough for young people aged 13 and above can be made to Centre 33. For younger children, please ask your GP, school or family worker for advice.
Referrals
To make a referral, please download and complete the referral form linked below and email this to talktostars@ormistonfamilies.org.uk. If you have any difficulties completing this form, please phone 01223 292276 or email talktostars@ormistonfamilies.org.uk. You can also use these contact details to ask for advice or support.
DOWNLOAD: Ormiston Families Stars Referral Form
We also recommend the resources available at winstonswish.org and childbereavementuk.org
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