The beginning of the New Year has witnessed a series of desperately sad deaths among children and young people, tragedies that have shaken local communities and brought an outpouring of grief.
It is always extremely difficult to come to terms with the death of a young person, someone who had their entire lives ahead of them.
The trauma of sudden death and the enormous void left behind is hard to deal with and can be especially tough for friends the same age.
In recent days we have seen vigils for young people who have died in tragic circumstances, large crowds turning out to demonstrate solidarity and show sympathy for families going through unbearable anguish.
Whether a death is as the result of an accident or suicide or any other reason, it is absolutely vital that every support is given to relatives as well as children and young people who are deeply distressed by the loss of someone they know and struggling to make sense of what has happened.
At such times, schools have a hugely important role to play, in providing counselling, a listening ear and specific advice for pupils.
Thankfully, there is considerable awareness these days of such issues and the need to encourage youngsters to discuss their feelings.
Parents also may benefit from specialist information on how to deal with shocked and grieving children and must also be mindful of the influence of social media, particularly when emotions are running high.
In terms of suicide, which is so prevalent in today's society, there are a number of agencies who provide expert guidance and support and are there to help those in distress.
Over the past few days a number of elected representatives have called for mental health to be prioritised in Northern Ireland and urged action to tackle what is undoubtedly a crisis.
The number of lives lost as a result of suicide is at epidemic proportions.
It goes without saying that more needs to be done. It should certainly be a primary concern for any restored assembly but it also needs to be accompanied by a commitment to boost funding and improve services.
We must get to grips with this huge problem and help to prevent further deaths.
