Highlight and tackle the disparities in access to specialist bereavement support across the UK, often described as a “postcode lottery”.
Child Death Action Group
All families experiencing the death of their child should have access to the specialist bereavement care that they need.
The CDAG brings together organisations from across the country, who are working together to ensure care reaches families in need.
We welcome professionals from all organisations (hospices, child death review professionals, hospital teams, police, funeral directors) to join and be part of a network committed to compassionate child bereavement care.
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Our Vision
1. Address Inequalities in Bereavement Care
2. Promote Equitable, Trauma-Informed Care
Ensure every bereaved family receives compassionate, expert care with flexible, trauma-informed support.
3. Influence National Policy and Funding
Speak up together to embed bereavement care into national healthcare policy and secure sustainable, multi-year funding to support families consistently across regions. .
4. Share Best Practices and Learnings
Through summits and collaborations, share learnings with other hospices, charities, and child death review teams to improve care nationally.
5. Support Research and Evidence-Based Change
Be involved in the University of Southampton QUINTET project. Find other research opportunities.
6. Raise Awareness and Foster Collaboration
Events and Research
National Child Death Summit
Shooting Star hosted the UK’s first National Child Death Summit in September 2025, to raise awareness of the critical gaps in bereavement care for families grieving the death of a child. It saw 79 organisations, including 34 children’s hospices, healthcare professionals, child death review teams, bereaved parents, and national experts sharing information, and standing together to call for equitable, specialist bereavement care across the country.
Our Research
Research in children’s palliative care is limited compared to adult care. The Child Death Action Group is a part of a commitment to improving this research Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is involved in research in a number of areas, include conducting our own research, partnering with healthcare providers and universities, and supporting external researchers.
Child Death Action Group members
