Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity funds access to Bluebell Wood bereavement support
A charity grant of £4500 has been awarded to our Safeguarding Team to help support families who have the experienced sudden or unexpected death of a child.
The grant was provided following a funding request made to Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity.
Since May, the grant has funded access to bereavement support, counselling and support groups provided by Bluebell Wood. Bluebell Wood are a children's hospice caring for babies, children and young people and their families based in North Anston.
Donna Vickery is a member of the Safeguarding Team and a key worker on the child death pathway. "As key workers for the child death pathway, we are very passionate about ensuring all families coping with the unimaginable loss of a child receive high quality bereavement support.
"While we have digital and telephone support available, we knew sometimes this wasn't always suitable or appropriate. We wanted to further develop the bereavement service into something which could meet each family's individual needs.
"Whilst working on this, it was highlighted by our team that families who experience the unexpected or sudden death of a child may not be known to Bluebell Wood already.
"Unfortunately, families who aren't known to Bluebell Wood weren't able to access the same support from them after a bereavement. We knew this was a gap in the service. We wanted to ensure that families who have sadly lost a child suddenly or unexpectedly were able to access to the same quality of local support.
"The funding means now when we identify suitable families who might need it, we can refer them onwards to Bluebell Wood for individualised and family centred bereavement support. This includes access to support groups and counselling services they provide if the family want it."
Rachael Dawes, Head of Fundraising at Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity said: "We’re incredibly proud to support the Rotherham Safeguarding Team with this grant. The loss of a child is something no family should ever have to face, but when it does happen, it’s vital that the right support is available.
“By working with Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, this funding is helping to ensure families in Rotherham can access specialist bereavement care at the most difficult time. It’s a privilege for the charity to be able to fund such an important project that will support families facing the unimaginable in our community.
“It’s thanks to donations, fundraising and support from the Rotherham community that we’re able to fund essential initiatives like this that make a real difference. We rely on this support to continue our important work in Rotherham.”