WALES, UNITED KINGDOM / AGILITYPR.NEWS / June 11, 2026 / Amid the gift-giving and special meal planning in celebration of fathers and father-figures, the UK’s leading young people’s bereavement charity, Child Bereavement UK, is highlighting that countless children and young people will be facing this special day without their dads.

Nina, 25, originally from Swansea, is sharing her experience of bereavement and how she copes with Father’s Day. Nina’s dad sadly died when she was 17 after a battle with kidney cancer.

Nina is a Youth Ambassador for Child Bereavement UK, which supports children and young people bereaved of somebody important to them, as well as parents and carers bereaved of their child.

Nina comments, “I love my Dad. I never use the word 'loved' because I still do love him even eight years after he passed away. That love never leaves you.”

Child Bereavement UK offers specialist advice to young people who are growing up grieving, as well as to parents who are bereaved of a baby or child. Special days like Father’s Day can be especially difficult to cope with, in particular, when there is large public awareness surrounding the occasion.

For many young people, it can be difficult to navigate the day itself as well as the week or so leading up to the event. Child Bereavement UK recommends taking the time to do what feels best for you.

Some young people and their families like to spend the day remembering their important person, by sharing stories, looking at photographs, listening to favourite songs and other memories.

Nina comments, “My dad was the funniest person I knew, loved everything about 80s pop music and loved the TV show M*A*S*H. When people talk about 'signs' that resemble their loved ones, some have birds or rainbows, mine is steam trains!

“Every time I get the opportunity to do Karaoke, I always do ‘Don't You Want me Baby’, which was his favourite song.”

Other bereaved young people prefer to do something that they enjoy, like going out with friends, or just finding a way to ignore the day completely. There is no right or wrong way to navigate a special day like Father’s Day when you are grieving your Dad, or you are a father grieving a child.

Nina is a member of the Child Bereavement UK Youth Ambassador team, made up of young people with experience of grief and bereavement. Together, the team share their stories, take part in projects and give their experiences to help other young people feel less alone and to shine a light on what it is like to grow up grieving.

Nina shares, “Child Bereavement UK has supported me by letting me hear the stories of other people who lost their dads when at a young age. And for once, in a long time, made me feel normal. 

“Child Bereavement UK can help others in a very unique position to feel normal like their peers. I didn't realise how much I needed that and to actually find and hear from other people who had made my lived experience feel like I wasn't alone.”

Child Bereavement UK helps families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. We offer free, UK-wide, accessible online grief support to children and young people (up to 25) who are bereaved or facing the death of someone important, and the parents and carers of babies and children who are dying or have died.

Our trained bereavement specialists are available to speak with Monday to Friday, 8am–8pm (excluding bank holidays) by phone, email, text and WhatsApp, or via our website - childbereavementuk.org