Funeral directors and bereaved children: beliefs and experiences.

As one component of an ongoing project to develop resources for bereaved children and families, funeral directors were surveyed about their experiences and practices with bereaved children. About one-third of respondents reported that they provided services specifically for bereaved children. Of these, some were proactive (reaching out to provide services) whereas others were reactive (responding only when information or services were requested). Many of the participant funeral directors found that families mediated children's involvement or experiences. Often, the parents were perceived as an impediment to optimal experiences for the child. Many funeral directors who did not provide services described being encumbered by a lack of resources, or they perceived that other individuals or organizations in the community were filling that need.