Charities and Organisations
If you have experienced the loss of a child through pregnancy or after birth, you are likely feeling overwhelmed trying to find the right support for you. There are many Australian charities and organisations that can provide support during this trying time. Some of these organisations serve the entirity of Australia. You will also find statewide and local initiatives, while there are International Charities offering solace to dads worldwide.
Australia Wide Charities and Organisations
The Perinatal Loss Centre provides support to health professionals and families affected by the death of babies.
Possum Portraits provide hand-drawn memorial keepsake portraits for bereaved parents and their families.
Heartfelt is a volunteer organisation of professional photographers dedicated to giving the gift of photographic memories to families who have experienced stillbirth or have children with serious or life threatening illness.
Heartfelt is dedicated to providing this gift in a caring and compassionate manner, with all services free of charge.
Heartfelt is dedicated to providing this gift in a caring and compassionate manner, with all services free of charge.
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Ladybird Care Foundation provides bereavement care that supports and empowers grieving families to find hope and purpose once again, creating pathways for healing. Starting in Queensland this service is now available to all Australians.
The Peer Mentor Program evolved in response to a call from bereaved parents, seeking to meet a peer with a lived experience. The highly qualified bereavement care professionals actively recruit, train and supervise volunteer peer mentors, with lived experience, to become the human connection of support.
The Peer Mentor Program evolved in response to a call from bereaved parents, seeking to meet a peer with a lived experience. The highly qualified bereavement care professionals actively recruit, train and supervise volunteer peer mentors, with lived experience, to become the human connection of support.
Red Nose is Australias largest bereavement support charity ''With over 40 years’ experience supporting grieving individuals and families, we understand what you're going through and we're here to help''
- Fathers of loss video support series
- Hospital to Home
- 24 Hour bereavement hotline
- Online and in person support groups
Bears Of Hope provide support for families who experience the loss of their baby.''Let’s walk this journey together''
- Counselling Support
- Facebook Peer Groups
- Dads Sport and Support Weekend
Beards of Hope is dedicated to the care of others, they are the parent org of Beards of Hope. Their guidance and support encompasses counselling, in person support groups, private online groups, community events and a resource library
- Beards Campaign 2024
- Recources
Gidget Foundation Australia exists to support the emotional wellbeing of expectant and new parents to ensure they receive timely, appropriate and specialist care.Gidget Foundation Australia provides support to expectant and new dads and non-birthing partners.Call our caring client services team on 1300 851 758 for more information.
The Compassionate Friends assist bereaved families in the rebuilding of their lives after the death of their child, and to support their efforts to achieve emotional and mental health.
''We reach out to parents, siblings and grandparents to offer friendship and to support them in their grief and trauma, following the death of a child at any age and from any cause''
''We reach out to parents, siblings and grandparents to offer friendship and to support them in their grief and trauma, following the death of a child at any age and from any cause''
Perinatal Mental Health Week (PMHW) takes place annually in November – a national week to raise awareness, provide information, referral pathway support and de-stigmatise perinatal mental health issues. A united sector supporting expectant and new parents during what will be one of the most vulnerable times in their life.
Check out all of the PMH Partners here
Stillbirth Foundation Australia is here for every person impacted by stillbirth.
Penthos provides grieving parents a fully donor-funded, specialist therapy program for couples suffering unresolved grief following the loss of a child.
Penthos provides a free tertiary mental health service delivered by specially trained health professionals (psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, and couple therapists). Couples can attend therapy face-to-face or via video link depending on their location or circumstances.
These services are offered Australia-wide.
Penthos provides a free tertiary mental health service delivered by specially trained health professionals (psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, and couple therapists). Couples can attend therapy face-to-face or via video link depending on their location or circumstances.
These services are offered Australia-wide.
The vision of The Pink Elephants Support Network is a world where early pregnancy loss is normalised, and everyone understands how to support the journey.
Whilst founded to support mothers the website is a wealth of knowledge for everyone. The Emotional Support Resources page gives much needed guidance to those that are grappling with early pregnancy loss or looking to support those going through it.
Rural Health Connect is an online platform that links people to psychologists over video calls and phone calls. They originated in Central QLD in response to a clear need for better access to psychologists in rural areas and have now expanded across rural Australia.
Rural Health Connect has just announced a new program providing psychological support to those impacted by perinatal loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, termination for medical reasons and neonatal death).
This program has been supported by the Australian Government with the below groups being supported by this service:
-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people-Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) families-Refugee and migrant communities-Women and families in rural and remote Australia-Women and families under 20 years
Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE) is a not-for-profit organisation devoted to reducing the impacts of emotional and mental health problems in the pre and postnatal periods.
Victoria
Forever Held was established in 2022 to support bereaved parents through the provision of short-term retreat accommodation at no cost. Built in natural surrounds, the retreat offers grieving parents a place of refuge and rest.''We invite you to come, stay, grieve, rest, and experience nature as you take the next step on your healing journey''
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Wish Collective is more than a initiative, it's a compassionate community born out of lived experiences, with a mission to make the path to parenthood a little less lonely...
Waiting. In. Shared. Hope
Support🤝🏽Awareness 📣Community❤️Fertility Treatments & Miscarriage/Pregnancy Loss
South Australia
The Red Tree Foundation provides free grief counselling and bereavement support for any family in the South Australian community impacted by the sudden and unexpected death of their baby or child from conception to 17 years of age.
New South Wales
The Vilomah Community ''Our purpose is that no woman or family experiences pregnancy and infant loss alone'' Based in the Riverina Area NSW.
Dads Support Group- ''We welcome bereaved Dads to The Vilomah Community, a space where they can find solace and support on their unique journey through grief. At The Vilomah Community, we understand the profound impact fathers have within their families during times of loss. We recognize the vital role dads play and honor their importance in the grieving process''
Northern Territory
Amber NT supports Territorians through the unimaginable loss of a child for any reason, from conception to 18.
Tasmania
The Mission of Beyond the Rainbow is to support families who have lost children through pregnancy, stillbirth or early infancy, through the provision of care boxes.
International
The Team at Cuddle Cot understand that not every family may choose to use a CuddleCot or CuddleBlanket, but we do hope that every family is offered the option to use them when the need arises.
It is their mission to help raise awareness of stillbirth and neonatal death and the wider support that is available. Their website has an extensive grief and support page for bereaved parents and their families.
It is their mission to help raise awareness of stillbirth and neonatal death and the wider support that is available. Their website has an extensive grief and support page for bereaved parents and their families.
Sad Dads Club helps fellow bereaved fathers navigate life after loss by nurturing a supportive community and providing access to mental health services. Their Instagram page is fantastic, showcasing photos and videos from the loss community they have created. You will also find their website an amazing resource if you are looking for other stories and some background to who the 'Sad Dads' are and how this amazing organisation started.
Daddys with Angels is dedicated to supporting every family member grappling with the loss of a child. We offer resources and guidance to help navigate the aftermath of a child bereavement, at any age or gestation. Through our international network, we provide specialist support for dads who are often isolated in their grief.
4Louis is a UK charity that works across the country (United Kingdom) to support anyone affected by miscarriage, stillbirth and the death of a baby or child. We also work to improve the care bereaved families receive from health care and other professionals. 4Louis has also partnered with Australian Charity The Prepare Foundation to create the 'Tiny Footprints Brotherhood'
Sands is here to support you for as long as you need. Whether you’re a dad, brother, uncle, grandparent, friend or colleague there is information and support available in many different ways, some of which are listed below.
Sands United FC is a unique way for dads and other bereaved family members to come together through a shared love of sport and find a support network where they can feel at ease talking about their grief when they're ready.
The Lily Mae Foundation supports Parents and Families aftera Stillbirth, Neonatal Death, Miscarriageor Medical Termination. It is also the home of :
- Still Parents Podcast
- Still Dads Blog