Two charities, now one#
Winston's Wish and Child Bereavement UK have come together as one charity, called Child Bereavement UK. The Winston's Wish website now points visitors to Child Bereavement UK, and the merged charity uses the charity numbers Winston's Wish held in England and Wales and in Scotland. It says it supports bereaved children and young people up to the age of 25, and parents grieving the death of a baby or child, and also trains and advises professionals. Its new service model ranges from free information to immediate conversations with no waiting list, and ongoing support for those who need it.
Speaking to a bereavement specialist#
Its trained bereavement specialists are available on weekdays from 8am to 8pm, except bank holidays, for anyone bereaved or supporting someone who is. The contact page lists the ways in:
- by phone, free;
- by text or WhatsApp, for people aged 13 or over;
- by email or a contact form;
- by live chat on its website.
No appointment is needed. For longer-term help, you can refer yourself or a child for further bereavement support, and there is support for parents and carers looking after a grieving child, for families before a death, and for adults who were bereaved as children.
What its guidance says about big decisions#
Child Bereavement UK publishes nothing about names. Its guide for a parent supporting a child after the other parent has died, When a parent dies, is still useful for anyone weighing a change. It advises concentrating on what feels right for you and your child, working at your own pace, and not being pushed by what other people think you should do. It says what helps a child most is stability, time with you, a familiar routine and reassurance, and that children need honest information and a chance to ask questions.
Names after a death in the family#
Questions about names often come later: a child who wants the surname of the parent they live with, a widowed parent returning to a former name, or a new family after remarriage. A few points from this handbook:
- Who decides a child's name. After a parent's death, the agreement of everyone who now has parental responsibility is needed, often the surviving parent alone. Changing a child's name after a parent dies explains guardians, the passport and what HM Passport Office asks for.
- Your own name. Your name when you are widowed covers keeping a married name or going back to a former one.
- The child's view. Does a child have to agree to their own name change? explains how far a child's wishes count.
There is no deadline. A name can be changed months or years later, when everyone is ready.
This page describes what Child Bereavement UK publishes on its own websites, read on 26 October 2026. Child Bereavement UK has not reviewed it, and including a charity here does not mean it recommends this handbook or any deed poll service.
