'Radical reform' needed in support for families who lose babies, charities say
Calls for psychological care, bereavement pathways, and specialist programmes
A leading baby loss charity has called for “radical reform” in the support offered to families, pointing to inequalities and gaps in the services offered.
Held In Our Hearts said a range of issues, including relationship breakdowns, job loss, self-harm, and even suicide, formed the “backbone of a hidden problem,” and called for the roll out of specialist bereavement support.
It comes ahead of a debate at Holyrood this Wednesday ahead of baby loss awareness week, where MSPs will commend the work of pregnancy and baby loss charities across the country.
On Wednesday, seven national organisations will come together outside the Scottish Parliament for a peaceful awareness gathering ahead of the debate and Baby Loss Awareness week.
The gathering is being organised by the Scottish Baby Loss Collaborative, comprising Held In Our Hearts, Simba, Miscarriage UK, ARC Scotland, Sands, Baby Loss Retreat, and the Lullaby Trust. The event is being sponsored by Paul McLennan the SNP MSP for East Lothian, who has supported the collaborative’s work and backed its calls for improved support for bereaved families across the country.
The group is calling on MSPs to commit to substantially increasing support for baby loss services, including psychological care, bereavement pathways, and specialist programmes that help families navigate the trauma of losing a child.
Nicola Welsh, chief executive of Held In Our Hearts, and a leading voice in baby loss support in Scotland, said: “Scotland suffers 70 pregnancy and baby losses a day. Scotland needs radical reform in support. The loss of your own baby is a devastating life event that requires specialist bereavement support.
“There is a gap in service between a clinical transition to care in the community for individuals facing baby loss. Scotland’s public spending on adult mental health services already exceeds £1.2 billion annually. Current provision for pregnancy and baby loss remains unequal, and there is currently no minimum framework to support families across Scotland.”
She added: “Our research has found that the impact of baby loss includes hidden costs, from treating anxiety to debt, relationship breakdowns, job loss, self-harm, and even suicide. These are not issues publicly discussed or associated with baby loss, yet they are the backbone of a hidden problem for Scottish families.”
The Scottish Baby Loss Collaborative is a partnership of seven specialist organisations working across Scotland to support families affected by miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, and infant loss.
Together, they provide counselling, peer support, memory-making services, advocacy, and specialist clinical guidance for families and professionals.
The members’ business motion at Holyrood, which has been lodged by SNP MSP Patricia Gibson ahead of Wednesday's debate, notes that there were 318 baby deaths, including 159 stillbirths, in Scotland in 2024. There were 4,477 baby deaths, including 2,552 stillbirths, across the UK, official statistics show.
Baby Loss Awareness week takes place between 9 and 15 October this year, with a series of events scheduled across Scotland. They include a special wave of light remembrance service on 14 October at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow.
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