Suicide prevention

When you lose a loved one to suicide it can be a terrible shock, and can leave you with many unanswered questions. Below you’ll find a list of organisations that can offer emotional and practical support. You may also find it helpful to make an appointment to see your GP early in the process of grieving.

SAMH is a Scottish charity working with adults and young people, providing mental health care and support. They provide a booklet with the practical issues that need to be faced after a suicide.  It is a good starting point in discussing some of the emotions you might be experiencing and in offering some places where you will find help.

Samaritans provide confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, all year round, for people feeling in distress or needing to talk with someone.

Sudden aim to help people during the first ten weeks following a sudden bereavement. You can call them from day one onwards.

Breathing Space is a free and confidential phone service for anyone who is experiencing low mood, anxiety, depression, is unusually worried or who is needing someone to talk to.

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) is a national UK charity with local groups of people who have also experienced suicide.  They offer emotional and practical support.

SOBS also have a forum specifically for men affected by suicide called BereaveMENt.

AtaLoss.org are a national UK charity existing to ensure that every bereaved person in the UK can find appropriate bereavement support when they need it. They have a webchat service and also sign-post to other appropriate providers of care and support.

CALM are aware that anyone can hit crisis point. They run a free and confidential helpline and webchat – 7 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who needs to talk about life’s problems. They also support those bereaved by suicide, through the Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP) which can be accessed via the CALM website.

The Good Grief Trust exists to help all those affected by grief in the UK. They aim to find the bereaved, acknowledge their grief and provide reassurance, a virtual hand of friendship and ongoing support. They wish to ensure that everyone receives the support they need to move forward with their lives.

Child Bereavement UK help children and young people (up to age 25), parents, and families, to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. Their live webchat is available 9-5pm Monday-Friday via the website.

Youngminds exist to see a world where no young person feels alone with their mental health, and all young people get the mental health support they need, when they need it, no matter what. If you are a parent or carer worried about your child you can then speak to one of the Youngminds experts by using the contact form on the website, by live webchat 9.30am-4.30pm Monday to Friday, or by calling the number below.

Touched by Suicide Scotland are a self help organisation, all of whom have been “touched by suicide”. They exist to meet the needs of, and break the isolation of, those bereaved by the suicide of a close relative or friend. They offer emotional and practical support in a number of ways: confidential telephone helpline, help by e-mail and local groups.

Cruse Bereavement Care are a charity, staffed by volunteers, who give bereavement support to people throughout Scotland. They have teams in the major population areas plus they are able to provide support across the country by phone and web-chat.

The Support After Suicide Partnership brings together suicide bereavement organisations and people with lived experience, to achieve a vision that everyone bereaved or affected by suicide is offered timely and appropriate support.

Petal offer support of families and loved ones that are bereaved by murder, culpable homicide and suicide. Support is offered by telephone and on-line services.

A bed for my heart is an international website which exists to supports families through the deep grief of the loss of a child at any age and from any cause.

Help and support for children and young people

Childline is a free 24-hour helpline.  Children and young people can talk with a counsellor about any problem at all, including coping with death and bereavement. You can email securely and chat online on the website.

Child Bereavement UK help children and young people (up to age 25) to rebuild their lives when they face death and grief in their lives whether that be about a family member or a friend. Live webchat is available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday via the website.

Papyrus are a national UK charity hosting HOPELINEUK – a confidential support and advice service for children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, or anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide.

If you are having thoughts of suicide or are concerned for a young person who might be you can contact HOPELINEUK for confidential support and practical advice.

Youngminds exist to see a world where no young person feels alone with their mental health, and all young people get the mental health support they need, when they need it, no matter what. If you are a young person in need of support 24/7 at any time of the day or night, contact Youngminds by text:

Hope Again is the youth website of Cruse Bereavement Care. It is a safe place where you can learn from other young people, how to cope with grief, and feel less alone.

Richmond’s Hope gives children and teenagers a safe space to explore the impact a death has had on their lives. Using therapeutic play and specialist grief activities children and young people are supported to share their stories – capturing memories, exploring, expressing and gaining an understanding of their feelings. This will help individuals identify coping strategies that will help them to live well with their grief.

Child Bereavement UK help children and young people (up to age 25) to rebuild their lives when they face death and grief in their lives whether that be about a family member or a friend. Live webchat is available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday via the website.