The Childhood Bereavement Network estimates that every 22 minutes in the UK, a parent dies leaving dependent children.
A survey of 2,000 parents, commissioned by the Network, found that only 1 in 4 parents of young children have an up-to-date Will, yet almost three-quarters think it is important to have one.
When it came to making plans regarding the guardianship of their children should both parents die before the children are grown up, half of parents had no definite plans in place.
A lack of information, busy lives and a reluctance to think about death, means parents of young children struggle to make plans for their children in case the worst happens.
Further findings showed that only 1 in 6 parents have written a special letter to their children to be read after their death; with 1 in 5 of those who hadn’t written a letter hoping it wouldn’t be needed, and almost the same number saying it was too upsetting to even think about. Over half (53%) of those parents said they simply hadn’t thought about writing a letter to their child.
Plan If
The new campaign, Plan If, encourages all parents to put in place the practical and personal things that would make a difference to their children and families if they were to die while their children were still young, things such as Wills, plans for guardianship, insurance, family stories and letters for children to read in the future, providing comfort, stability and security at the toughest time.
The Childhood Bereavement Network has created a dedicated website www.planif.org.uk to help parents prepare their own Plan If, by outlining simple steps that parents can follow, with manageable actions.
Launching the new campaign, Alison Penny, Coordinator of the Childhood Bereavement Network, said: “Mortality statistics show that in people of parental age around one in four deaths are unexpected, with little or no time to put arrangements in place. We believe in the importance of all parents making plans now in case they die while their children are still young.
“Practical tasks, such as making a will and planning guardianship can take some of the uncertainty out of life after a parental death, and personal tasks, such as capturing family stories and writing letters to children, can provide comfort and opportunities to remember and maintain bonds if a parent dies.
“We hope that Plan If will play a part in making society as a whole more aware of and more prepared to talk about parental death and in that way, play a part in helping bereaved children and young people respond to a death.”
Commenting on the new campaign, Claire Henry, Chief Executive of the Dying Matters Coalition, said: “Facing up to our own mortality and planning ahead may not be easy, but doing so can provide peace of mind and help ensure our loved ones are taken care of after we have died.
“Yet as today’s research shows, far too many parents are failing to make adequate plans and are leaving the welfare of their children to chance, should they die before they have grown up. That’s why we welcome the Plan If campaign, and look forward to working together to raise public awareness about why it’s so important to make your wishes known before it’s too late.”
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