We offer free support and counselling to families who have experienced the loss of a baby in pregnancy (14 weeks gestation onward), stillbirth, termination for fetal abnormality or neonatal death.
The service is available to anyone affected by the loss including mothers, fathers, partners, grandparents and siblings.
Our service can be accessed at any stage, whether this is straight after your loss or later on. You can get in touch with us and discuss what might be right for you and your family.
Following discharge from hospital you should have been allocated a Key Contact. This is a named person who can sign post you to practical support and advice if you need this, such as registering your baby’s death, contacting a funeral director or helpful ways to say goodbye to your baby. Whilst the key contact cannot answer any questions, they can help you to prepare questions to take to your review meeting a few months after your loss. If you agreed to be contacted by one of the Bereavement Counsellors, they will contact you by phone, initially to offer reassurance and advice on how to cope with your feelings, emotions and the effects of your grief. Everyone copes with grief in different ways and the Bereavement Counsellor will discuss with you how to access emotional support at a time that feels right for you. This may lead to counselling sessions.
Not everyone will need counselling, but for those that would benefit from exploring difficult feelings and emotions surrounding their grief, appointments are available at any stage in your journey.
Counselling sessions can be offered via telephone, video call or in person. In person appointments usually take place in one of the quiet rooms alongside the Spiritual care centres in either Ninewells hospital or Perth Royal Infirmary. You can discuss the time, date and location of your appointment with your Counsellor.
As trained Counsellors we work with each person to offer a person-centered service. This means we work collaboratively with you, offering a range of therapies including Person Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and/ or using a Psychodynamic approach. The Counsellors are registered members of British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
If you would like to discuss support with one of the Bereavement Counsellors, call us on (01382) 496 515. If we cannot take your call please leave a message and we will call you back as soon as we can.
Support & Counselling Services
Maternity and Neonatal Bereavement Support and Counselling Service
If you are distressed and you need to speak to someone urgently you can contact:
The Samaritans (24hrs, freephone) Tel 116 123
Breathing Space Tel 0800 838 587
Either of these helplines will talk to you immediately and directly. Alternatively, you can text the word SHOUT (24 hrs for free) to 85258 where you will start a text conversation with a befriender.
For more information on this service see: https://giveusashout.org/
Please see below links to other organisations that can help.
We work alongside many of the national and local baby bereavement charities to aid us with supplies of memory boxes, memory making resources, baby clothes, staff training etc. These charities also offer support to families and can be contacted directly.
The Samaritans (24hrs, freephone) Tel 116 123
Breathing Space Tel 0800 838 587
Either of these helplines will talk to you immediately and directly. Alternatively, you can text the word SHOUT (24 hrs for free) to 85258 where you will start a text conversation with a befriender.
For more information on this service see: https://giveusashout.org/
Please see below links to other organisations that can help.
We work alongside many of the national and local baby bereavement charities to aid us with supplies of memory boxes, memory making resources, baby clothes, staff training etc. These charities also offer support to families and can be contacted directly.
