Handling bereavement in Danish schools – A system at a crossroad?
Keywords:
Bereavement response, Death of a parent, Social support, School responsesAbstract
AbstractThe bereavement response system used in Danish schools has developed differently from those in other European nations. At its heart lies the bereavement response plan, which 96% of all schools today use on a voluntary basis. Through a timeline interview with one participant and a focus group interview with three participants, this study explores how the Danish system has been influenced by the teachers using it in a particular school context. Interviews identify that in-school revisions of the bereavement response plan seem to occur isolated from advances made within academia. The article concludes that the current system has begun to transform into something different than was originally intended. While it is difficult to conclude whether such a change is for the better or worse, it remains problematic that no organisation seems to be in control of the current direction the system is taking.
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