This is the 5th National Bereavement Forum (NBF) hosted by Irish Hospice Foundation, the first of which was held in Dublin in 2016.
This event is for organisations or individuals who provide direct support to people who are bereaved and for those who support bereaved people in their day-to-day work, for example GP’s, nurses, social workers, bereavement volunteers, therapists, chaplains, psychologists, frontline staff in information services, psychiatrists etc.
Tickets are free but you must book your place through Eventbrite
The inputs scheduled at the forum and the next steps the IHF commit to deliver were partly informed by a national survey we conducted with bereavement services across Ireland in April of this year. We have also incorporated opportunities to network (virtually).
Schedule
10am Welcome address
Speaker: Sharon Foley, Irish Hospice Foundation.
10.10 The Framework for Adult Bereavement Care
Chair: Amanda Roberts, Irish Hospice Foundation
Presentation 1: The development of the framework for adult bereavement care and its role in bereavement provision policy and planning in Ireland.
Speaker: Amanda Roberts, Irish Hospice Foundation
Formal launch of the framework
Guest speaker: Minister Butler, Minister of State Department of Health with responsibility for Mental Health and Older People
10.40 The impact of the pandemic on the experience of bereavement
Chair: Amanda Roberts, Irish Hospice Foundation
Presentation 2: What does the research tell us?
Speaker: Orla Keegan, Irish Hospice Foundation
Presentation 3: The voices of the bereaved
Speaker(s): Catherine Tierney, Irish Hospice Foundation and Volunteer(s), IHF/HSE National Bereavement Support line
Reflection 1: Networking opportunity and an opportunity for attendees to reflect on their experience
Facilitated by: Breffni McGuinness, Irish Hospice Foundation
11.55 The impact of the pandemic on bereavement service staff and volunteers
Chair: Orla Keegan, Irish Hospice Foundation
Presentation 3: The impact of the pandemic on bereavement service staff and volunteers. Experiences of bereavement service staff and volunteers: Findings from the IHF national bereavement service survey 2021
Speakers: Amanda Roberts, Irish Hospice Foundation and Maura Keating, Irish Childhood Bereavement Network
Reflection 2: An opportunity for attendees to discuss what the priorities should be for bereavement care going forward.
Facilitated by: Amanda Roberts, Irish Hospice Foundation and Maura Keating, Irish Childhood Bereavement Network.
Presentation 5: National Health Sector Psychosocial Response project
Speaker: Derek Chambers, HSE Mental Health Operations and Ciara Latimer, HSE Mental Health and Community Operations
12.45 The next steps?
Speaker: Amanda Roberts, Irish Hospice Foundation
12.55 Closing of the Forum
Host: Orla Keegan, Irish Hospice Foundation and Embrace Music
1.10 Forum closed
Tickets are free but you must book your place through Eventbrite
Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions about the event.
More information
More information on the framework for adult bereavement care:
More information on our bereavement resources:
For more information on the national bereavement support line: