A WARRINGTON student is calling on the government to support bereaved children after his own experiences of losing his father.
When Dan Walsh was just 12-years-old, he sadly lost his father after he suffered a brain aneurysm.
Dan, who is now 17, found it difficult to access the support he needed to cope during that period of his life.
As a result, the Priestley College student has since called for better ways to help grieving children.
And recently, his cause was heard before Parliament after Warrington South MP Andy Carter raised the matter.
“As a politics student, but mainly as someone who lost their dad so young, it was an incredible moment to hear my experience shared with the Government so I have to thank Andy for his support,” said Dan.
Mr Carter was initially invited into the college to meet Dan and discuss his experiences following the death of his father.
Dan told the MP a ‘national register of bereaved children’ would help organisations and charities connect with young people who are grieving – rather than the child having to look for the support themselves during a difficult time.
Mr Carter not only agreed to raise the matter at Westminster, but he also invited Dan to help prepare the speech he delivered this week.
Priestley College and Andy Carter then organised for Dan and his friend Finn to travel to London to hear the speech in person and to meet MP David Johnston, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education, who was delivering the Government’s response.
In that response, David said: “Dan spoke movingly about his experience, and he should be proud of the way that he has sought to bring what has been a very sad experience for him to this place to help other young people experiencing grief.”
The minister outlined what has been done to help bereaved children and said he had spoken to officials about adding a question to the school census to record those who have lost a parent.
In a social media post on the matter, Mr Carter said: “I am happy to say the minister made a commitment to exploring whether that is appropriate to do in the case of bereaved children.
“There’s more to do to secure a change in the law but progress today and a huge well done to Dan and Finn for their brilliant contribution to the issue in Parliament.”
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