Question reference: S5W-31999
- Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 23 September 2020
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 December 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to upscale and make more readily available bereavement support of all types, both formal and informal, to people who are grieving (a) during and (b) after the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer
The Scottish Government wants people to get the bereavement care and support that is right for them.
It is important to reflect that each individual's experience of bereavement is unique as are their support requirements. That is why we have undertaken a broad spectrum of work to improve the support available for those who need it at this difficult time. Recent examples include:
- At the outset of the pandemic, the Scottish Government provided funding to Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland to accelerate the expansion of their remote bereavement support service to ensure this service offering was available across Scotland. Further funding of £20,000 was provided to Cruse in October 2020 to help ensure that the service was ready for any increase in demand over the winter.
- We have built on our work to support young people and families access bereavement care by appointing a childhood bereavement coordinator. This work includes the development of plans to improve support for young people and families across Scotland, and will also reflect on our experiences during the pandemic to enhance this work programme further.
- People experiencing more complex grief can sometimes benefit from additional mental health support. In November 2020, the Scottish Government announced that funding of up to £30m would be made available for community mental health and wellbeing services in 2021-2022. This includes £11.25m for local authorities to provide community mental health and wellbeing services for 5-24 year olds, their families and carers, who may have been impacted by the pandemic.
We will also continue to work closely with NHS Boards, Integration Authorities and third sector organisations to respond to the additional demands arising from the pandemic and provide support where needed.