Today is International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, giving families an opportunity to publicly remember their babies, and raise awareness for miscarriage, stillbirth, and early infancy loss.
There are a range of digital mental health resources available to support families coping with the loss of a child, their family, friends, and professionals supporting someone experiencing grief and loss. The resources below provide information, peer support, telephone and online counselling support for grief and loss.
Beyond Blue
Grief and loss
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/grief-and-loss
Beyond Blue is an Australian mental health organisation providing information and support for anxiety, depression, suicide prevention, staying well, parenting, grief and loss. Their website includes information on what grief and loss are, how to help yourself or someone else who is experiencing grief and loss, as well as access peer support forums, online and telephone counselling.
Compassionate Friends Australia
1300 064 068
Compassionate Friends Australia is a telephone and email support service for bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents after the death of a child. This service aims to help families in rebuilding their lives following the death of a child and achieving emotional and mental health.
Headspace
Dealing with grief and loss and the effects on mental health
https://headspace.org.au/young-people/dealing-with-grief-and-loss-and-the-effects-on-mental-health/
Headspace is a National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing resources, information, and support to young people aged 12 to 25, their families, and friends. Their website includes information on mental health, physical health, and more, including information dealing with grief and loss, what to expect, their effects on mental health, ways to help with your grief and how to access support.
Griefline
1800 845 745
Griefline is a national not-for-profit organisation providing phone and online counselling services to individuals and families who are experiencing loss and grief. Through their website, people can access tips, community stories, information, and tools to help understand and manage grief and loss as well as moderated peer support.
Guiding Light
https://rednosegriefandloss.org.au/support
1300 308 307
Guiding Light is an online and telephone service from Red Nose Grief and Loss assisting parents and their families after the death of a child. They provide 24 hour bereavement support, professional counsellors and trained parent supporters, support groups, and information for individuals, parents, family, friends, and professionals.
Kids helpline
Supporting a child through grief and loss
https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/supporting-child-through-grief-and-loss
1800 55 1800
Kids Helpline is a free, confidential counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25 years. In addition to phone, email and online counselling services, their website also includes information on a range of issues relevant to youth and their parents. Their website includes information on supporting a child through grief and loss, how children experience grief, common grief responses, and what parents can do to help.
ReachOut
Grief and loss
https://au.reachout.com/challenges-and-coping/grief-and-loss
ReachOut is an online mental health service for young people and their parents, providing information and peer support on a range of topics. Their website includes information on grief and loss, personal stories and discussion forums for support through grief and loss.
Sands
1300 072 637
Sands is an emotional support and information resource for bereaved families following the death of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death. They provide individualised care, community support to connect with other with similar experiences, and information to help friends, family and workplaces support bereaved parents.
COPE
The Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE) provides support and information on the emotional challenges of becoming a parent. Their website includes information on a range of topics relating to pregnancy and becoming a parent, as well as information for parents and professionals on perinatal loss, grief and mourning, stillbirth, miscarriage and pregnancy after loss.
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby
Pregnancy Loss
https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/pregnancy-loss
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is a 24hr phone counselling service for women, their parents, friends, and relatives about pregnancy, childbirth and infants. Their website provides information on a range of topics relating to pregnancy, birth and babies including pregnancy loss, miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, and blighted ovum.
Raising Children’s Network
Pregnancy: miscarriage and stillbirth
https://raisingchildren.net.au/pregnancy/miscarriage-stillbirth
The Raising Children’s Network provides tools, information, mobile apps and other products to help families grow and thrive together. Their website provides information, tips and support for families from pregnancy through to grown-ups including miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death.
My Grief
https://www.grief.org.au/ACGB/Bereavement_Support/MyGrief.aspx
MyGrief is an app developed by the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement providing resources to support bereaved people and practical strategies on how to best assist someone experiencing grief. The app is available to download from the Apple app store and Google Play for 24hr confidential support.
National Association of Loss and Grief
The National Association of Loss and Grief provides is a national organisation supporting people experiencing grief and loss. They provide information, resources, and a mini digital scrapbook tool to support people experiencing loss and grief. There are a range of informational brochures available on a range of topics including coping after the death of a baby, miscarriage, stillbirth, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Supporting Bereaved Parents, Talking to Children After the Loss of a baby and more.
Trauma and Grief Network
Grief and Loss
http://tgn.anu.edu.au/resource/grief-loss/
The Trauma and Grief Network provides a virtual space to browse online resources for child and adolescent trauma, grief and loss. Their website provides resources to help caregivers supporting children and adolescents experiencing trauma, loss or grief including links to helpful services, tips, and information.
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