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 usually 4-6 week after your loss. This appointment is 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 the right 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 up to 2 years following your loss.
Support & Counselling Services
We offer specialist bereavement counselling to birth parents who have experienced the loss of a baby in pregnancy (from 14 weeks gestation), stillbirth, termination for fetal abnormality or neonatal death.
Maternity and Neonatal Bereavement Support and Counselling Service
What can I expect from the bereavement counselling service?
If you and one of the counsellors agree that counselling may be beneficial, you will be offered assessment appointment. Your first appointment will be around an hour in length and will be an opportunity to discuss your concerns in more depth.
The bereavement counsellors team can offer support in a number of ways, both directly and indirectly through;
• Consultation and advice to maternity, neonatal and community colleagues.
• The provision of a range of direct psychological interventions.
• Support of the wider family through signposting and linking with local organisations.
Some people find attending just a few sessions is helpful, whereas others will attend for longer. Your counsellor will discuss their recommendations following your assessment and decide with you what will be most beneficial.
The bereavement counsellors team can offer support in a number of ways, both directly and indirectly through;
• Consultation and advice to maternity, neonatal and community colleagues.
• The provision of a range of direct psychological interventions.
• Support of the wider family through signposting and linking with local organisations.
Some people find attending just a few sessions is helpful, whereas others will attend for longer. Your counsellor will discuss their recommendations following your assessment and decide with you what will be most beneficial.
Clients typically attend 6–12 bereavement counselling sessions, tailored to individual needs. The service supports a planned ending, with regular reviews to ensure appropriate care. Additional sessions may be considered based on need and service capacity.
You will also decide how you would like your counselling sessions to happen, for example via telephone, video call or in person. In person appointments usually a room used for counselling across Tayside. You can discuss the time, date and location of your appointment with your counsellor.
Confidentiality and Consent
All NHS staff have a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. We keep information about your contact with the service in electronic form and it is held securely. Only staff involved in your care will be able to look at your records and we can check who has looked at your electronic record.
The person who referred you to the service will be kept informed about your treatment. At times we may be required to exchange information with other professionals involved in your care, for example, your GP. On occasion, we are required by law to share confidential information out with the NHS. If this happens, we will make every effort to keep you informed.
As trained Counsellors we work with each person to offer a person-centred service. This means we work collaboratively with you, offering a range of therapies including Person Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and/ or using a Psychodynamic approach. The Counsellors are registered members of British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
You will also decide how you would like your counselling sessions to happen, for example via telephone, video call or in person. In person appointments usually a room used for counselling across Tayside. You can discuss the time, date and location of your appointment with your counsellor.
Confidentiality and Consent
All NHS staff have a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. We keep information about your contact with the service in electronic form and it is held securely. Only staff involved in your care will be able to look at your records and we can check who has looked at your electronic record.
The person who referred you to the service will be kept informed about your treatment. At times we may be required to exchange information with other professionals involved in your care, for example, your GP. On occasion, we are required by law to share confidential information out with the NHS. If this happens, we will make every effort to keep you informed.
As trained Counsellors we work with each person to offer a person-centred service. This means we work collaboratively with you, offering a range of therapies including Person Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural 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.
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.
Crisis Support
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.
Crisis Support
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.