The loss of a child is a profoundly heart-breaking experience, and at West Midlands Ambulance Service, we recognise the unique and enduring grief that families face This page brings together specialist bereavement support services, including dedicated helplines, counselling, and therapeutic resources, tailored for parents, siblings and young people navigating this journey. Click here to access even more resources including podcasts, books and to discover even more charities and support groups.
Child & Baby Loss Support
Click on the image to the left to open a PDF showcasing many charities & support groups to try, podcasts & books to help you deal with this difficult chapter in your life.
Marking Baby Loss Awareness Week: Rachel’s Story
Baby Loss Awareness Week takes place from 9-15th October 2025, a time to honour and remember babies lost in pregnancy or soon after birth, and to support anyone affected by such loss. To mark the week, Tollgate Development Operations Manager, Rachel Ward-Smith, is courageously sharing her story: “Seeing those two positive lines on a pregnancy test was one of the best feelings in the world. We had already begun imagining the next nine months, planning maternity leave, making space in our lives, and dreaming about what was to come. For me and my wife, IVF was always the path we would take, and that journey was already a rollercoaster of hope and fear. When I developed severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which saw me hospitalised. Yet even through all of that, our focus was on the joy of seeing two tiny heartbeats – twins. Everything changed at a scan just before I was due to return to work. The twins had died. After surgery, I went home to recover physically, but emotionally I was broken. Returning to work was incredibly difficult. I felt anxious, isolated, and alone. Walking back into that environment after our loss was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. That’s why another colleague and I created a peer support group at Tollgate which intends to be a safe space so no one has to face this pain in silence. It’s made up of staff who have all experienced baby loss in different ways. The group is there not just during Baby Loss Awareness Week, but all year round. Please know that you are not alone, there is always someone who will listen.”
Child Loss Support Services
Click on any image to open a PDF displaying different services and support available to help you deal with your baby/child loss. Each service is reachable by clicking the link. Some examples of available services are: Lullaby Trust, Sands United & Tommy’s.
Winston’s Wish
Winston’s Wish is a free digital resource available to all including children and young people across the UK. Offering support whether you’re a bereaved young person, a parent navigating your child’s grief, or a professional seeking guidance, Winston’s Wishes caters various resources for different needs, recognising there no such thing as “one size fits all”. Tailored services include:
- SEND support
- Trauma-Informed care for sudden deaths
- Youth-led platforms like Talk Grief
The service also provides immediate help via call, text, or live chats which meet you where you are emotionally and walk beside you through your dark times. Access their website here!
Sands
Facing the loss of a baby is a pain no family should endure alone. Every day in the UK, 13 babies die shortly before, during or soon after birth. At least 1 in 6 pregnancies end in miscarriage and thousands of families experience heartbreak of baby loss every year.
Sands, is the UK’s leading pregnancy and baby loss charity, connecting communities across the country. Dating back to 1978, when a group of bereaved parents came together to support each other, ever since, Sands has grown into a community rooted in compassion and a drive for change, which still connects and inspires families today. The organization offers support through one-to-one and group sessions through various ways including online, by phone, email and in person.
Annually, the charity organises family and remembrance events, providing community, connection and resources including Memory Boxes. Sands also provides, training, supporting thousands of professionals through accredited courses.
If you’re interested in learning more or accessing their support click here to visit there website!
The Lily Mae Foundation
The Lily Mae Foundation is a local trusted charity founded by bereaved parents Amy and Ryan Jackson in 2010 following the loss of their daughter. Their deeply personal understanding of grief fuels a network of tailored services, including a 24/7 one-to-one bereavement support, memory boxes to preserve precious moments, sibling support packs, dedicated groups for pregnancy after loss and more.
With a focus on breaking the silence around baby loss which affects thousands of parents annually in the UK, the foundation provides a vital community of understanding and support. For more information on their services or to access their support, please visit their website here!
