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The main purpose of BBF is to promote good practice in bereavement care in the Bristol area within a supportive network.
This will be achieved by:
* Providing opportunities for service providers (voluntary & statutory) in the wider Bristol area to meet regularly to network, support each other, share information and provide educational support
* Setting up special interest self-directing groups, accountable to the executive committee. These will be identified in time, dependent on members’ needs
* Holding twice-yearly conferences
* Providing a directory of national and local bereavement services
Why was BBF formed ?
In 1998 Bristol bereavement agencies in partnership organised a conference to establish what improvements could be made to bereavement service provision. As a result, a committee was formed to consider a bereavement ‘walk in’ facility, but applications for funding were unsuccessful.
However, the committee continued to meet. It was decided to gain funding to conduct a ‘mapping exercise’ of all bereavement services within the Bristol area. But as Insufficient funds were forthcoming, a second conference was held in 2004, where delegates demonstrated that more support was needed for service providers
Bereavement is part of the work pressure. Support for staff isn’t mentioned.
Have had no formal training unless a study day like today comes up, so we have no proper bereavement service
There is some coordination but insufficient. It would be useful to have joint projects with other agencies
Needs to be much greater awareness of each organisation about the others- preferably with some sort of opportunity to meet and discuss services
Identified needs for improving networking, virtual as well as actual joint workshops/training/ supervision
Opportunities to meet other bereavement workers is essential. We all need support and information sharing.
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