Sands awarded emergency grant

SANDS is the Stillbirth & Neonatal Death charity. Founded in 1978 by bereaved parents, its vision is of a world where fewer babies die. One where, should a baby die, anyone affected can receive the best care and support for as long as they need it.

SANDS exist to support anyone impacted by the death of a baby for as long as needed. They work with health professionals and the NHS to reduce the risk of baby death and to improve the quality of care whilst also funding vital research to stop babies dying. They’re proud to have led the way in reducing baby deaths through research investments, and of driving forward changes in policy and practice.

14 babies die every day in the UK. The quality of care received by bereaved parents and families following such traumatic circumstances is extremely important. Sadly, babies will of course continue to die in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving bereaved families across Milton Keynes in desperate need for specialised support to reduce the impact of isolation and better cope with their grief.

The World Health Organisation recognised from the outset that the COVID-19 outbreak would have widespread psychological and mental health implications and that throughout the pandemic vulnerable families would depend on access to bereavement support.

Covid-19 is impacting bereavement care in several ways; procedures mean some mothers are attending antenatal scans on their own and receiving news of the death of their baby alone. They also have to labour and give birth on their own. In some hospitals there’s less time and space for parents to spend time with their babies making memories, as babies’ bodies are removed quickly in body bags and mothers sent home. This situation is aggravated by the fact that bereavement midwives are seconded to other roles.

Delays to post-mortems and reviews, and cancellation of appointments to discuss these with parents, are also causing distress and concern. Newly bereaved parents are having to cope with both the practical (for example funeral arrangements and registration of death) and emotional impact of the death of their baby under social distancing which means they don’t have the same sort of comfort and support from family and friends that they might otherwise have. For other bereaved parents it’s difficult to cope with anniversaries under lockdown, and other deaths can trigger and exacerbate grief.

Award funding means that SANDS have been able to develop an urgently required toolkit of guidance and compliance, enabling bereaved parents and families in Milton Keynes to access vital bereavement support services online.

The accelerated transition of support services to online and digital engagement is now providing safe alternatives that reach everyone in need. In this way Sands has been able to respond quickly and to continue operating much needed bereavement services - a lifeline for so many in these unprecedented circumstances.

This bereavement support also extends to those health professionals and NHS staff likely to work in settings where pregnancy loss or death of a baby may occur.