Sarah Helton

Contact

Email: k2036175@kingston.ac.uk
Location: St George's
Faculty: Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education
School: Centre for Health and Social Care Research
Personal website

Research project: How do we know if children with Severe Learning Disabilities (SLD) and Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD) are experiencing grief? How do they communicate their questions, concerns and thoughts about grief?

Abstract

Research aims:

To investigate how children with SLD and PLMD communicate grief
To explore what helps children with SLD and PLMD to communicate their grief

Research objectives:

To investigate how bereaved and grieving children with SLD or PMLD communicate their grief to parents/family members and teachers;
To investigate how these children communicate their questions, concerns and thoughts about grief;
To explore what approaches, strategies, techniques and resources for supporting bereaved and grieving children with SLD or PMLD have been used by parents/family members and teachers;
To explore parent/family and teacher views on the merits of different approaches and resources;
To develop a toolkit of approaches, strategies, resources, activities and lesson plans for children with SLD and PMLD that can be used in schools and that can be tested in future studies
To pilot test the toolkit in a small number special needs schools.

Research degree: PhD
Title of project: How do we know if children with Severe Learning Disabilities (SLD) and Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD) are experiencing grief? How do they communicate their questions, concerns and thoughts about grief?
Research supervisor: Professor Irene Tuffrey-Wijne
Other research supervisor: Professor Jayne Price

Biography

I have worked in the Special Educational Needs/Disabilities (SEND) field for 25 years (Deputy Head, Assistant Head, Teacher, Local Authority Education Officer & Educational Publisher).

I am now an author, trainer & consultant in child bereavement, specialising in the needs of bereaved children with SEND. I carry out this work as BackPocketTeacher www.backpocketteacher.co.uk

I have written/designed the following books & resources -

A Special Kind of Grief - The complete guide for supporting bereavement & loss in special schools (& other SEND settings)
Remembering Lucy - A children's story book about loss & grief in a special school
A Jumble of Knotted Thoughts - A sensory story to support bereavement and grief
Bereavement & Loss Widgit Symbol Resources
We All Grieve (for Winston's Wish)
Good Grief Toys ® A set of 45 multi-functional wooden pieces allowing children to explore all forms of grief

Areas of research interest

Special Educational Needs/Disabilities - SEND
Death, Bereavement and Grief
Children and young people with SEND
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Supporting individuals with SEND to have a voice and be listened
Profound and multiple learning disabilities - PMLD
Children with life limiting and life threatening conditions

Qualifications

BEd Primary Education - Plymouth University
MEd Special Education - Auburn University, USA

Funding or awards received

Full Studentship

Publications

A Special Kind of Grief - The complete guide for supporting bereavement and loss in special schools (& other SEND settings)
Remembering Lucy - A children's story book about loss and grief in a special school
A Jumble of Knotted Thoughts - A sensory story to support bereavement and grief
We All Grieve - A booklet that I wrote for the child bereavement charity Winston's Wish
Good Grief Toys ® A set of 45 multi-functional wooden pieces allowing children to explore all forms of grief

Further details available here - https://backpocketteacher.co.uk

I have written for various journals and articles. You can find links to these articles here - www.backpocketteacher.co.uk/support