All Bereaved Parents Offered Support Across Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Families experiencing the death of a baby or child - from early miscarriage until the day of their 26th birthday - will now be automatically offered specialist bereavement support, ensuring no bereaved parent is left to navigate their grief alone.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has become the first health board in Scotland to introduce an automatic referral process for child bereavement support for every family affected by the death of a child, regardless of age or gestation.
The change means that all parents experiencing the loss of a child, including through miscarriage, stillbirth, Termination of Pregnancy for Fetal Anomaly (TOPFA), neonatal death or the death of an older child, will be automatically referred to the Child Bereavement Support Service provided by Crossbasket House, part of Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity.
Previously, referrals were generally made by clinical teams or as part of the Child Death Review process. While many families were successfully connected with support through this process, the new approach creates a consistent pathway to ensure every bereaved parent is proactively offered specialist support at one of the most difficult times in their lives.
The development brings maternity services in line with support already available across the wider Women's and Children's Directorate, also provided by Crossbasket House, and represents a significant step forward in ensuring equitable access to bereavement care.
Crossbasket House's on-site team of specialist Child Bereavement Support Practitioners provides emotional support, practical guidance and ongoing care tailored to the individual needs of families following the death of a child.
Kristin O'Neill, Child Bereavement Services Manager at Crossbasket House, shares:
"As we mark Baby Loss Awareness Week, we are reminded of the importance of continually listening to families and evolving our services to ensure they receive the support they need, when they need it most.
“Regardless of the age or gestation of a child, bereaved parents will experience profound grief when their child dies.
“Parents who have experienced miscarriage often tell us that they don't feel heard. This change will ensure that they are offered timely, sensitive support.
“By automatically offering bereavement support to every family, we can help ensure that parents know they are not alone and can access specialist support whenever they feel ready.
“The Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity group has funded child bereavement support services across Greater Glasgow and Clyde since 2018, and we are proud to play a central role in this pioneering approach.”
Alanna McArdle, who has accessed the Child Bereavement Support Service at Crossbasket House, added:
“After our baby girl Abbie died, the Child Bereavement Support Service gave us a safe, comforting place to speak with trained professionals during the most unimaginable time of our lives. The service continues to support us through monthly bereaved parents' groups as well as one-to-one meetings.
"We will forever be indebted to the bereavement support team for all the support and care we have and continue to receive from them.
“The new automatic referral process to bereavement support means every parent who finds themselves in the heartbreaking position of losing their child, no matter their age, is given access to this invaluable service without having to look and research in unfamiliar places for the desperately needed support - it’s already there for them.”
The new pathway will complement the dedicated support already provided by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's Specialist Bereavement Midwives, who work closely with families following pregnancy and baby loss, helping to ensure parents receive coordinated, compassionate care and access to specialist support throughout their bereavement journey.
The new process is now in place across Greater Glasgow and Clyde, ensuring that every bereaved parent is given the opportunity to access dedicated bereavement support.
Dr Mary Ross-Davie, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Director of Midwifery, said: “The loss of a baby at any stage of pregnancy is a deeply significant and life-changing experience for parents and families. While every family's journey through grief is different, it is vital that compassionate support is available when it is needed most.
“This new approach ensures that every bereaved parent is proactively offered specialist support, including those who experience miscarriage, who can sometimes feel their loss is less recognised.
“By making support an automatic offer, we are helping to ensure that no family is left to find help on their own and that everyone has equitable access to the care and guidance they may need.
"This service will build on the excellent care already provided by our Specialist Bereavement Midwives, strengthening the support available to families and ensuring they can access additional help and guidance at a time that feels right for them.
“We are proud to be working alongside Crossbasket House and Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity on this pioneering initiative, which places families at the heart of bereavement care and strengthens the support available across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.”