Support Links
There are currently 24 different support and advocacy groups offering support to parents bereaved through pregnancy loss and perinatal death, based on the findings of a scoping review. The different groups identified provide varying levels of support and assistance to bereaved parents and families, and are comprised of volunteers and/or professional staff.
The type of support offered varies greatly and may be loosely categorised as below:
● Parent – parent support
● Voluntary support organisations
● Non-Governmental organisations
● Professional support/ counselling services
● Educational organisations
● Advocacy groups
A Little Lifetime Foundation
Provides nationwide support to parents and their families whose baby has died or is expected to die
- Provides one to one counseling with a professional bereavement therapist
- Provides general group support and specific group supports, e.g. newly bereaved
- Facilitates creative workshops
- Online support groups
- Annual remembrance services
All our services are free of charge.
Anam Cara
Support for parents and siblings following the death of a child
● on-line forums for parents, siblings and volunteers
● support group
● bereavement information events
● family remembrance events
Barnardos
Provides national bereavement counselling service specifically for children
● provides information and advice through its helpline and counselling for bereaved children
Bethany Bereavement Group
Support groups located in most counties and organised within parishes trained to listen to bereaved families with understanding
Ectopic Ireland
● provide information and support to those who have been affected by an ectopic pregnancy
● offer support rather than counselling
● advocate for the long term needs of couples following ectopic pregnancy
Every Life Counts
Every Life Counts is an organisation that supports families whose babies were diagnosed with a life limiting condition before and after birth.
We provide a variety of supports, information and resources to families affected by a poor diagnosis in pregnancy, such as
- Personal ongoing peer support
- Assisting with birth planning
- Care packages for mums in preparation for baby’s birth
- Continued support in pregnancy after loss
- Support for hospitals and care providers
- Provide counselling and bereavement retreats
- Provide support and offer advocacy to parents at any stage of this journey.
We help parents prepare for the unknown during a time when they are uncertain of the future, helping to create memories and pour a lifetime of love into their precious baby’s life.
Féileacáin
Offer regular support meetings
● provide a befriending service and support helpline
● provide a safe and confidential setting, in which those bereaved through stillbirth or neonatal death can share their experiences
● provide hospitals with memory boxes for bereaved families
FirstLight
FirstLight offers free professional support and provides information to families in Ireland that have experienced the sudden, unexpected death of their child if aged from 0 to 18 years.
FirstLight is a trauma-informed organisation, offering a National 24-hour Helpline service, Crisis Intervention and a Psychotherapy service. Our services are provided nationwide by our team of professionally accredited, fully insured and Garda vetted psychotherapists and counsellors. Our team members are professionally trained to provide support to clients experiencing trauma associated with the sudden death of their child. All of our services to families are free of charge and confidential.
Irish Childhood Bereavement Network
A hub for those working with bereaved children, young people and their families
● provides information about age appropriate literature for children
Irish Family Planning Association
Irish Hospice Foundation
Dedicated to all matters relating to dying, death and bereavement in Ireland.
Provides the Bereavement Support Line, in partnership with the HSE, for people who experience the death of someone close. This is a national freephone service (1800 80 70 77) available from 10am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.
Leanbh Mo Chroí
We are a non- judgmental support group, run by parents who have experienced complex diagnoses including severe and fatal fetal anomaly during pregnancy.
We support parents who choose to interrupt the pregnancy and those who chose to continue.
We offer support by phone, text, email and face to face. We hold regular support group meetings in Dublin and Cork, and sporadically in the rest of the country.
We hold creative workshops and have an active online community which welcomes new members.
LIFE/ANEW
Providing professional care and support –including counselling, accommodation and life skills –to women, their children, partners and families facing issues surrounding pregnancy, homelessness and parenthood
Miscarriage Association of Ireland
We are solely run by volunteers who have lost a baby through miscarriage and understand the rollercoaster of emotions that follow. We offer non-judgmental and understanding peer to peer support to parents and families who have lost a baby through miscarriage either recently or in the past. We have a telephone support line, email support and support meetings both via Zoom and in-person regionally.
Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep
Providing the gift of remembrance portraits to parents experiencing the death of a baby.
Nurture Health
A counselling & training support delivering immediate, timely and affordable well-being professional counselling supports surrounding conception, pregnancy, childbirth and other related difficulties
One Family
Our non-directive service provides practical information and support on all your options when faced with a crisis pregnancy
Peas in a Pod
We are a group of bereaved parents who have lost a baby (babies) in a multiple pregnancy. Our mission is to increase awareness and advocate on issues relating to loss of a twin(s) or triplet(s).
Rainbows Ireland
Supports children and young people affected by loss because of bereavement, separation or divorce
SOFT Ireland
Offers support for families for babies newly diagnosed with Trisomy 13/18
● support for families caring for babies and children with these disorders
● support for families experiencing bereavement
● information on Trisomy 13/18
Termination For Medical Reasons Ireland
We are an inclusive and non-judgmental campaign group comprised of parents who have lost babies to severe and fatal fetal anomalies.
We are inclusive of those who have had terminations of pregnancy, and those who continued their pregnancy.
We educate the public, the medical community and politicians on the multi-faceted experience of receiving a complex diagnosis in pregnancy and the impact of baby loss on our members.
We campaign for legislative and cultural change, in Ireland to better support the women and families affected.
Vasa Praevia Ireland
Campaign group promoting the interests of parents who receive a diagnosis of Vasa Praevia
Irish Hospice Foundation is a national charity that addresses dying, death and bereavement in Ireland. Our Bereavement Support Line is open Mon-Fri 10am-1pm on 1800 80 70 77
