2026 Conference

NHS Education for Scotland’s Bereavement Education Programme is delighted to be hosting its seventh Bereavement Education Conference later this year - Registration open!

Title: From the Shadows: Shedding Light on Bereavement at the Margins

Date: Wednesday 11th November 2026

Cost: Free

Format: Virtual

Target audience: All those working across health and social care, and related sectors.

Building on the success of the 2025 conference, which attracted more than 1,300 registrations, this year's event will explore often overlooked experiences of bereavement through a diverse programme of thought-provoking presentations and discussions on contemporary issues in grief, loss and support, offering insights to inform practice, policy and service development across health and social care. Topics will include e.g.:

  • AI and grief technologies, including the emergence of "grief bots"
  • Bereavement following alcohol and substance use
  • The experiences and support needs of older adults living with bereavement
  • Motor Neuron Disease – shedding light on hidden loss
  • Neurodivergent grief – advancing neuroinclusive bereavement support
  • Making sense of digital goodbyes in COVID
  • Music therapy in bereavement
  • The lived experience of racially minoritised people on death and its aftermath

Register and view the full programme.

 The parallel session abstract submission deadline has now passed but you can still submit a poster abstract - an opportunity to showcase bereavement work going on across Scotland and beyond. Further information on how to submit an abstract and submission deadline can be found on the link above.

Join us in reflecting on another successful year of learning and connection by watching conference highlights, and revisiting content from previous years by browsing the menu on the left.

Don’t miss out on future opportunities by signing up to the NES’ bereavement update e-Newsletter to receive the latest news on upcoming events and conferences.