Refer yourself to Winston’s Wish

If you’re aged 13 or over and meet our eligibility criteria (a list of things that help us to determine if our services are the right fit for you), you can refer yourself to Winston’s Wish using the self-referral form below.

If you’re aged between 13 and 15, one of our team will need to speak with you to make sure you are competent and able to consent to a referral without involving your parents.

If you’re aged 12 or under, please ask a parent or trusted adult (such as a teacher or doctor) to complete a referral for you.

We like to make sure that we’re providing the right support for the right people. Sadly, our services aren’t always suitable for everyone. You will be considered eligible to access Winston’s Wish services if:

• You have experienced the death of a person(s) that was important to you before the age of 25
• You require additional support to help to cope with your grief
• You have access to the internet
• You have experienced any of the following as a result of your grief:
  • Feelings of anxiety
  • Feelings of depression
  • Feelings of hopelessness
  • Feelings of anger
  • Difficulty communicating with family, friends, trusted adults, teachers and/or medical professionals
  • Problems concentrating
  • Falling behind at school, college or work
  • Changes in appetite
  • Changes in personality
  • Lack of energy
  • Isolating and withdrawing yourself

Please note at this moment in time we cannot accept referrals if:

• You are actively being supported by a mental health service or you are presently receiving counselling, therapy or any other type of psychological support.
• You exhibit signs of uncontrolled aggressive behaviour
• You have drug and/or alcohol dependencies for which you are not receiving active treatment or support
• You need immediate crisis intervention
• You are not registered with a local UK based GP
• You are not a resident of the United Kingdom
• You are currently in a period of transition (e.g. entering short-term foster/residential care)
• You are involved with an active court case and/or police investigation

It’s important to remember that just because you are eligible to access our services it doesn’t automatically mean we can offer you that service. A member of the Winston’s Wish team will always share the reason why you might not be suitable for our services.

We are unable to accept referrals to specific services.

Instead, when you refer yourself to Winston’s Wish, a team of bereavement specialists will take a look at the information you’ve submitted and determine which service they think would be the best fit for you. A bit like when you visit your doctor, you tell them the problem and they select the best medicine.

There might also be a time where they think a service isn’t right for you. Ultimately, we always have your best interests at heart and will only put you in touch with the services we feel will give you the best and most appropriate support with your grief.

We’ll respond to your referral within five working days. There may be a wait time between submitting your referral and accessing a service. We work hard to try and keep this time as short as possible, however demand can be high.

But, you don’t have to wait for support. If you’re struggling or simply want to talk to someone whilst you wait, you can reach out using the helpline, live chat, email or text.

Yes. Grief doesn’t have a definitive ending and it can change over time. You can come back to us at any time up to the age of 25. You’ll need to complete a new referral and we’ll assess everything based on your current circumstances.

We will only provide support if you are happy for us to do so. We cannot provide services without your consent.

Right now, all of our services are digital only. This is so we can help young grieving people all across the UK. Occasionally we organise face-to-face events in various parts of the country, be sure to check the website for regular updates.

All of our services are free of charge, however we charge for some items such as books and memory boxes.

Winston’s Wish is a charity and relies on donations to help us do what we do. If you’d like to know more about fundraising, click here.

We always advise that your parent(s) or guardian(s) are aware that you’ve made a referral to Winston’s Wish. However, this isn’t essential.

If you are 16 or over, you are treated as an adult and have the ability to consent to services yourself without needing to consult anyone else.

If you are between the ages of 13 and 15, someone from Winston’s Wish will call you to asses you are able and competent to consent to receive support.

It is also important to know that as part of our safeguarding policy (a document that puts measures in place to make sure we’re doing everything possible to keep you safe) there are some circumstances in which an adult may need to be present during your sessions.

If you are aged 7 or under, it is compulsory that an adult is present with you during your support session at all times.

If you are aged between 8 and 15, we recommend an adult is present or we suggest they check you in and out of your session.

If you are aged 16 or over, you do not need an adult present, however we do recommend you make sure you aren’t home alone and have someone elsewhere in the house/school.

Confidential means keeping something private, so whatever you say won’t be shared with anyone else.

The only time we would need to share anything you have said with someone else is if you tell us that you, or someone else you know, has suffered or is at risk of any kind of abuse, harm or neglect. If you do disclose this kind of information, it is required by law that we tell the relevant authorities (such as social services or the police) and/or your parent(s)/guardian(s).