Other Organisations

Take a look at other organisations which can support you and your family. Here are links to other websites which we hope you may be useful.

Counselling, advice & support:

• Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) (www.app-network.org) An organisation set up by women who have suffered postpartum psychosis to raise awareness of and research into the condition.
• The Association for Postnatal Illness (www.apni.org) A support system for women suffering with postnatal depression.
• Birth Trauma Association (www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk) Support for all women who have had a traumatic birth experience.
• British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (www.itsgoodtotalk.org.uk).  Information on where to get counselling locally.
• Patients’ Association (0845 608 4455.  www.patients-association.com ).  Charity providing patients with an opportunity to raise concerns and share experiences of healthcare.
• Mind – the mental health charity (0300 123 3393. www.mind.org.uk). Charity providing support for people with mental health problems.
• Samaritans Confidential service offering emotional support to those in need. (08457 90 90 90 or look up the number of your local branch. www.samaritans.org)

Organisations that can help with support and advice for parents with a newborn baby who is sick and/or a child with a disability:

• BLISS (www.bliss.org.uk).  For parents of babies in intensive & special care.
• Cerebra (www.cerebra.org.uk) Information and support for brain-injured children and young people.
• Contact-A-Family (www.cafamily.org.uk). For families of disabled children. Links with local and national groups.
• The Newlife Foundation (www.newlifecharity.co.uk) For children with disabilities.
• Meningitis Research Foundation (www.meningitis.org).
• Meningitis Now (www.meningitisnow.org).
• National Childbirth Trust (www.nct.org.uk). Information on pregnancy, childbirth and the first 1000 days. Local support groups and classes.
• Scope (www.scope.org.uk).  Support, information and advice to disabled people and their families.

Advice and help for parents where a baby has died:

• Baby MPS (www.mpsonline.org.uk/bmps ) A free service that allows you to register not to receive baby related mailings.
• Bereavement Advice Centre (www.bereavementadvice.org)  Bereavement Advice Centre supports and advises people on what they need to do after a death.
• Child Bereavement UK (www.childbereavement.org.uk ) Resources for bereaved families and professionals.
• Child Death Helpline (www.childdeathhelpline.org.uk).  For anyone affected by the death of a child, staffed by bereaved parents (check website for times).
• Cruse Bereavement Care (www.cruse.org.uk)  Bereavement support for adults and children in the UK. They provide one-to-one support to anyone who has suffered a bereavement, together with a telephone helpline.
• Compassionate Friends (www.tcf.org.uk) Supports parents whose child has died
• Hope Again (www.hopeagain.org.uk). Youth website of Cruse Bereavement Care, providing support and advice to young people dealing with the loss of a loved one.
• Miscarriage Association (www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk).  Support and information on miscarriage.
• Multiple Birth Foundation (www.multiplebirths.org.uk).  Support for parents who have lost one or more of their babies from a multiple pregnancy or at birth.
• National Association of Bereavement Services (020 7247 1080).  National co-ordinating body for independent bereavement services.
• Stillbirth & Neonatal Death Society (Sands) (www.sands.org.uk/).  For parents whose babies die at or around the time of birth.
• Twins Trust Bereavement Support Group (www.twinstrust.org/bereavement.html). Support all parents and carers of multiple births who have experienced loss.

Organisations of faith

If you are a person of faith, your local priest, imam, rabbi, (etc) may be able to offer a listening ear and prayers appropriate to your tradition. Most religious communities will offer support to anyone who seeks it, regardless of whether you have attended regular worship or not. Specific organisations that may be able to help include:

• Asian Family Counselling Service (asianfamilycounselling.org). Caring, personal and confidential counselling (not bereavement counselling) in the client’s language with an awareness of their cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
• Care for the Family – Bereaved Parent Support (careforthefamily.org.uk/) Supports families and friends of a child who has died.  Staffed by bereaved parents who, although committed Christians, provide support to people of all faiths and no faith.
• Jewish Bereavement Counselling Services (jbcs.org.uk) Counselling support for members of the Jewish community.  Visits available in London and referrals to support outside London.
• Muslim Community Helpline (muslimcommunityhelpline.org.uk). Telephone counselling support for Muslim women.