1 in 10 counselling sessions last December were about children missing loved ones
Christmas can be the saddest time of year for many children. And that's why we're urging families of children who've lost loved ones to look out for signs they're struggling to cope during the festivities.
More children contact ChildLine about bereavement in the run up to Christmas than any other time of the year. Some children told ChildLine counsellors they couldn't express their feelings to anyone else and were left to carry their grief alone. Others said they found the first Christmas after bereavement especially difficult as traditional family gatherings made their absence more painful.
"I recently lost my brother to suicide and this is the first Christmas without him. I miss him so much. I wish we could be one big happy family again as my family mean everything to me."
Boy / Age unknown