A powerful new resource has been developed to support people with learning disabilities across North Cumbria to have more open, informed conversations about death, dying and bereavement.
Created through strong partnership working, the Death, Dying and Bereavement Resource Pack brings together easy‑read materials and practical activities designed to support individuals, families and professionals when navigating some of life’s most challenging moments. The pack aims to enable compassionate, accessible and person‑centred conversations, ensuring that people with learning disabilities are better supported to understand and express their wishes, feelings and experiences.
The resource has been co‑produced with more than 25 partners and led by Eden Valley Hospice, working closely with learning disability teams from Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust. The work has been funded by the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB).
This collaborative approach has been central to ensuring the materials are inclusive, practical and responsive to real needs, reflecting the voices and experiences of people with learning disabilities and those who support them.
With around 2% of the population in Cumbria living with a diagnosed learning disability, this work represents an important step in addressing inequalities and ensuring everyone can access personalised, compassionate end‑of‑life care and bereavement support.
The resource packs were recently launched at a Learning Disability Training Day in Carlisle, where teams from across health, care and the voluntary and community sector received copies to support their work in practice.
The packs are already being used to strengthen confidence and capability among professionals, while helping individuals and families feel more informed and supported during difficult conversations.
This initiative is a clear example of the kind of partnership‑led, person‑centred innovation that makes a real difference—organisations coming together to reduce inequalities and ensure that everyone has a voice in the conversations that matter most.
For more information about the Death, Dying and Bereavement Resource Pack, please contact: [email protected]
