'When your baby has died it can seem as if no-one else in the world knows or understands what you are going through, or how you feel inside.'
Every year in the UK just under 6,500 babies are either stillborn or die within the first 4 weeks of their young lives - nearly 18 babies every single day.
For the bereaved parents and families the loss of their precious baby means the end of hopes and dreams: the grief and pain are utterly devastating.
Sands aims to highlight the tragic loss that so many families endure, and to raise awareness of the immense personal impact of a baby 's death, whether that baby was born alive or stillborn.
About SandsSands is a long established UK charity that supports anyone affected by the death of a baby.
Sands works with health professionals to improve the quality of care provided to bereaved families and promotes research and changes in practice to reduce the loss of babies ' lives.
Sands provides support for anyone affected by the death of a baby. We have played a leading role in transforming the culture in which most, but not all, bereaved parents and their families are supported by health professionals today.
Each year Sands National Helpline Service alone provides support and information to just over 4,000 parents and a further 5,500 family members and friends, health and social care professionals. We have an online support forum on our comprehensive website and a UK-wide network of local support groups and befrienders.Stillbirth SupportA National HelplineAnyone affected by the death of a baby, whether a bereaved parent, family member, health or social care professional, can talk in confidence to an experienced support worker. The helpline service currently receives over 200 calls a week and sends out 130 bereavement information packs.A UK network of local support groups and befriendersSANDS local groups are run by and for bereaved parents and offer support to parents from people who know first hand how it feels to lose a baby. SANDS befrienders are trained and mentored through our in- house training programme.
Local support is offered throughout the UK. Groups vary in size; the services they offer include:
• befriending and group stillbirth support
• information resources, including local websites
• memorial services
• liaison with local hospitals
• fundraising for a range of local facilities and services.
We have recently launched seven group networks which facilitate links on a national/regional level.Information and PublicationsWe have a range of support literature on the many emotional and practical issues which bereaved families face as a result of stillbirth or neonatal death. Our support leaflets are used by many hospitals, and we are currently re-designing and up-dating our range. Our national website has around 300 visits a day.
Many parents find enormous comfort in reading other people 's stories of their baby's death, and our newsletter, website and growing number of new books reflect the experience of bereavement from many perspectives.Working with Health ProfessionalsThroughout its 27 years SANDS has aimed to work in partnership with health care professionals. SANDS 'Guidelines for Professionals', written by Nancy Kohner, was the result of extensive consultation with service providers and has been the foundation for many improvements in stillbirth and neonatal bereavement care. We have recently piloted parent-led training for health professionals based around the Guidelines' Principles of Good Practice.
We have developed resources in collaboration with health service providers, including SANDS tear drop stickers for use on medical files, and our Memory Card designed to collect mementoes of a baby who has died.Understanding and Preventing Stillbirth and Neonatal DeathsAny parent whose own baby has died wishes that no other family should experience the pain and grief of such a bereavement.
It is SANDS' role as a parent-led organization to do all we can to ensure the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths are as low as possible.
We have positive links with individual researchers and organizations in the UK and internationally who are working to prevent avoidable perinatal deaths. With this support we are developing recommendations for changes in practice which could lead to a reduction in the numbers of stillbirth occurrence.
Sands Contact Details:Sands, the Stillbirth & Neonatal Death Charity
28 Portland Place
London
W1B 1LY
Helpline 020 7436 5881
Office 020 7436 7940
Fax 020 7436 3715
support@uk-sands.org
www.uk-sands.org
Sands Support Forum
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SANDS - Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity
