Not medical advice. This guide provides editorial and ethical guidance only. If you or someone you know is experiencing grief-related distress, please contact the Samaritans (116 123), Cruse Bereavement Care (0808 808 1677), or Mind (0300 123 3393). Journalists experiencing vicarious trauma from coverage should seek professional support.
The Ethical Framework
Covering death, grief, and bereavement is a fundamental part of journalism. Obituaries, crime reporting, disaster coverage, and public inquiries all require journalists to engage with bereaved individuals and represent the dead with accuracy and dignity. The ethical obligations are set by IPSO Clause 5 (Intrusion into Grief or Shock), which prohibits journalists from intruding on individuals in a state of grief or shock. Unsolicited approaches must be made with sensitivity, and a clear request to be left alone must be respected and not repeated.
Where a death involves suicide or suspected suicide, the Samaritans Reporting on Suicide guidelines apply in full. These guidelines — developed with clinical expertise and widely adopted in UK newsrooms — prohibit describing methods, speculating on reasons, presenting suicide as a solution, or reporting it in glamorising terms. The BBC Editorial Guidelines on suicide reporting align with the Samaritans guidelines and add specific provisions for broadcast coverage.
Beyond regulatory compliance, responsible bereavement coverage requires journalists to frame the deceased as full human beings: their life, relationships, and meaning to others. Victim-impact framing — centring coverage on the human cost of crime, disaster, or neglect — serves genuine public interest when it illustrates systemic failure. See also: /ethics/intrusion-into-grief and /ethics/suicide-reporting.
Approaching Bereaved Families
Initial contact — through liaison where possible
Where a family liaison officer (police, hospital, or appointed by the family), solicitor, or nominated spokesperson exists, approach through them first. This is less intrusive and more likely to result in a considered, consensual statement. Liaison contacts can also tell you whether the family has said they do not want media contact.
Written approach
A letter, card, or written message is less intrusive than arriving at the door or telephoning unexpectedly. Explain clearly who you are, what story you are working on, why you want to speak to the family, and that they have every right to decline. Leave contact details and make clear there is no obligation to respond.
Direct approach — in person
If a direct approach at the home is necessary, choose a time that is not immediately after a traumatic event. Do not approach in the immediate aftermath of a death. Introduce yourself, explain the story briefly, and accept refusal gracefully and finally. IPSO Clause 5 requires that a request to be left alone is respected and not repeated.
Victim-impact framing
When a bereaved family chooses to speak, their account should frame the person who died as a full human being. Ask about the deceased's life, character, and relationships. Victim-impact framing that humanises the deceased serves both the public interest and the family's desire to be accurately represented. Avoid framing the deceased primarily through the circumstances of their death.
Red Flags
- ⚠Approaching a family at the scene of a death or in the immediate aftermath without prior liaison
- ⚠Photographing bereaved individuals in a state of grief or shock without consent
- ⚠Repeating an approach after the family has asked to be left alone
- ⚠Describing suicide methods or self-harm techniques in breach of Samaritans guidelines
- ⚠Speculating on the reasons for a suicide without evidence
- ⚠Presenting suicide as a solution to life problems or in glamorising terms
- ⚠Framing the deceased primarily through the circumstances of their death rather than as a full person
- ⚠Publishing crisis support information only in online versions but not in print
- ⚠No journalist welfare provision for those covering prolonged bereavement or disaster stories
Bereavement Coverage Checklist
Support & Ethics Resources
Review the dedicated Suicide Reporting guide for Samaritans guidelines in full, and the Intrusion into Grief guide for IPSO Clause 5 detail.
Common Mistakes
- ›Repeating approach after refusal: IPSO Clause 5 is explicit: a request to be left alone must be respected and not repeated. Continued pursuit of a bereaved family after a clear refusal is a serious breach. It may also give rise to a harassment claim under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
- ›Omitting crisis support information: Articles about suicide, self-harm, and traumatic death should include signposting to crisis support. This is a small editorial act that can have significant consequences for vulnerable readers. Samaritans: 116 123. Shout: text SHOUT to 85258. Cruse Bereavement Care: 0808 808 1677.
- ›Framing the deceased by cause of death only: Coverage that leads with "she died by suicide at 32" and provides little else about who the person was reduces the deceased to their death. The Samaritans guidelines recommend framing coverage around the person's life, the response of those who loved them, and the systemic issues their death may illustrate.
- ›No welfare provision for journalists covering disaster: Journalists who cover multiple bereavements, disaster scenes, or sustained grief stories are at risk of vicarious trauma. The Dart Centre and NUJ both provide guidance and support. A debrief or check-in after sustained bereavement coverage is good editorial practice, not a sign of weakness.