Increased support for the bereaved

Part of the government's mental health strategy for 2030  

The Ministry of Education and Children, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Labour Market have entered into an agreement with the Bereavement Centre to provide increased support for bereaved people. The grant will increase people's access to counselling, support group work and peer support from the Bereavement Centre. The Bereavement Centre will also continue to support the implementation of a trauma-informed approach in schools and the local community for children, and to empower teachers and carers in responding to grief and loss. The Bereavement Centre is among the organisations and companies based at the St. Jó's Wellbeing Centre on Suðurgata in Hafnarfjörður. 

The Ministry of Education and Children, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Labour Market have entered into an agreement with the Bereavement Centre to provide increased support for bereaved people.

Under the agreement, the Bereavement Centre will also offer: 

• An educational presentation on grief and the grief reactions of children, for preventative purposes. It aims to strengthen the work of schools, sports and leisure activities with children in grief. 
• Early intervention service following a death in the school environment. This involves professionals providing support, education and advice to school management and staff within 48 hours of a request for the service being received. 
• A course for children aged 6-15 who are bereaved, run by the Bereavement Centre. Parents take part at the beginning of the course, receiving education about grief and bereavement responses, and various coping strategies. 
• Support group for parents of children 

The Bereavement Centre bases its services on well-known and proven resources for grief counselling. All our work aims to improve public health by supporting the mental, physical and social wellbeing of children and adults following the loss of a loved one. The centre is one of the charities and businesses based at the St. Jó's Wellbeing Centre, which share the common goal of offering a variety of services and therapies that enhance the quality of life for their clients. The support amounts to a total of 43 million krónur in 2024 from the three ministries. The agreement is part of the government's mental health strategy for 2030, which includes, among other things, offering a variety of early interventions and resources that promote mental health and reduce the impact of trauma on quality of life.  

• Notice on the website of the Bereavement Centre – The Bereavement Centre receives funding from three ministries – The Bereavement Centre (sorgarmidstod.is) 
• The Facebook page: Facebook 

Health, community and creativity under the umbrella of St. Jó's Quality of Life Centre 

The old house of the Sisters of St. Joseph, which they built and formally consecrated on 5 September 1926, is now a centre for quality of life. All its activities are aimed at promoting and enhancing the health, well-being and quality of life of the residents and friends of Hafnarfjörður in one way or another. The Bereavement Centre is one of these organisations and operates under the umbrella of the St. Joseph's Centre for Wellbeing, alongside psychologists, life coaches, charities, an education centre, yoga, and health promotion for older people, to name but a few.