9th October 2025
The one-year pilot initiative, shortlisted in the Partnership Working category, was a unique narrative project that supported young people across the Southern Trust area to cope with bereavement or loss of a family member.
Along with winning their award category, Michelle Mooney, Seasons of Life Project Coordinator and Dr Sinead Hannan Assistant Head of Psychology Services for Clinical and Occupational Health, collected the overall winner prize at the event in the University of Birmingham last week.
Seasons of Life was a one-year, unique project using art and storytelling to support young people to cope with bereavement of a family member or other trauma.
Congratulating colleagues from School Nursing, Paediatric Psychology, Trust Bereavement Co-ordinator, Cruse Bereavement Support and Quality Improvement who worked with schools and most importantly young people and families to co-design the project, Colm McCafferty, Director of Children and Young People’s Services for the Southern Trust said:
“This achievement recognises the compassion, creativity and dedication of our staff in supporting children, young people and their families through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
“The quality improvement pilot project reflects our Vision and Strategy – putting people at the centre, learning from lived experience and working collaboratively to deliver compassionate care.
“By responding to those who need our support, the team worked hard to create a service that developed resilience, identified a need for other services at an earlier stage and potentially prevent further issues arising in later life. The Trust will seek to build on this pilot project through collaboration with key partners.”