Abstract
This study aims to carry out an evaluation of bereavement counselling provided by a voluntary charity from the perspective of clients who had availed themselves of the service. A questionnaire survey of ex-clients of one branch of a major voluntary sector bereavement care organization was carried out. Based on a sample of 89 returned questionnaires (representing a response rate of 45%), findings indicated that paraprofessional voluntary counsellors can provide a counselling service to bereaved people that satisfies the majority of clients who report positive experiences in counselling and post-counselling outcomes, and generally rate their counselling as helpful. Nonetheless, there was a minority of ex-clients who did not regard their status, 6 weeks after counselling, as being more positive. Further, the reputation of the voluntary agency within the community and among potential referrers and ex-clients appears strong, offering additional positive evidence of the status of their bereavement counselling service in the locality.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 59-76 |
| Journal | Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice |
| Volume | 78 |
| Issue number | Part 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published (in print/issue) - Mar 2005 |