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Irish Suicide Bereavement Survey

Help us to understand how to improve supports for people who have been bereaved by suicide in Ireland

Please note the survey is now closed

Please note the survey is now closed


You are invited to participate in a first-of-its-kind study which aims to explore the experiences and support needs of adults who have been bereaved by suicide in Ireland. This survey will provide valuable information on the experiences of those who have been bereaved by suicide and the supports they found helpful.

We hope this information can be used to enhance services for people who have been affected by suicide in Ireland. The results will help us to identify things that help or hinder people in accessing support so that these can be addressed by services in the future.

Who Can Participate?

You are able to participate if you:
• Are 18 years or older.
• Currently live in Ireland.
• Have been bereaved or affected by suicide.*

*For example, friends and family of the person who died and the wider circle of people who were affected by the death such as emergency service staff, professionals caring for the person, a passer-by who witnessed the death, neighbours or other members of the community who may have had regular contact with the person who died by suicide. Sometimes, there may be doubt or disagreement as to whether a person has died by suicide. If you consider the person to have died by suicide, we are interested in hearing your experiences.

What's Involved?

You will be asked to complete a 20 minute survey that asks questions about:

You and your background – it is important for us to understand the experiences of people with different backgrounds. 

Your current wellbeing and experience of being affected by suicide – this helps us understand the impact of losing someone to suicide.

Supports for suicide bereavement – it is important that we learn about what supports people access, what they find helpful and unhelpful and if there are any barriers to accessing supports so that we can plan for future services.

What Can I Expect By Taking Part?

Taking part in research like this can be both beneficial and difficult as you will be asked to share emotional experiences. If you need to take a break, you can close the survey and return to it when you feel ready. 

This survey may be particularly challenging for those who have been recently affected by suicide. If that is the case, we ask you to consider if now is a good time to complete this survey. You may not wish to respond at this early stage. There may be other opportunities to contribute to research in the future

Where can I find support?

Should you experience distress completing this survey, there is a full list of supports available here

You are not alone: Support for people who have been bereaved by suicide is a comprehensive guide that provides information on suicide bereavement and the supports available in Ireland. You can access it here

The Irish Hospice Foundation operates a bereavement support line from Monday to Friday, 10 am to 1 pm. Free Phone 1800 807 077.
www.hospicefoundation.ie

HUGG (Health Untold Grief Groups) provides information and support groups to adults who have lost a loved one to suicide. The services are provided by people who themselves have been bereaved by suicide.
www.hugg.ie
We understand that it can be challenging to share your personal insights. We spoke to a number of individuals bereaved by suicide to understand their stories, the supports they accessed and their experiences of these supports. We invite you to watch their accounts below.
In the first of our series exploring personal experiences we speak with Fiona, founder of HUGG, who lost her daughter to suicide in 2016.
Here we speak with Brian about who helped him in the immediate aftermath of losing his son in 2018.
Trish shares her feelings and the supports she tried after the loss of her brother to suicide in 2018.
Laura has been bereaved by suicide three times. In this clip she outlines the supports she accessed.
Eoin lost his dad in 2017 and, as a result, tried a number of suicide bereavement supports. Here, he tells us which one works for him.

Is My information safe?

This information will be gathered through a fully anonymous survey. When you click on the survey link below, you will leave the HUGG web page and be brought to the third-party website. We will not collect any information that would directly identify you such as your name, contact details, or address. 

If you would like to read further information about the survey and security, you can do so by clicking here:Participant information leaflet.

Who is conducting this research?

This project is a collaboration between the National Suicide Research Foundation based in University College Cork and the Healing Untold Grief Groups (HUGG). This research is funded by the HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention.
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We Can Help

If you would like to come along to a HUGG Group just complete the form here 'join a group’ or call us on 01 513 4048 (monitored answering machine) or email support@hugg.ie for more information.
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CHY No. 22421. Registered Charity No. 20204480. Company Registration No. 640420.
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