This section helps parents to easily find information and supports related to the loss of a child or infant or loss during pregnancy. There is also information about supports available for palliative and end of life care, supporting siblings, memory making and financial supports available.
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Bereavement support and information…
The sections below signpost to a range of resources to support bereaved families or families whose child is
receiving palliative or end of life care
Hospital supports
A range of support staff and teams may be available to support your family during and after loss of a baby or child.
General bereavement supports and information
Irish Hospice Foundation
hospicefoundation.ie | info@hospicefoundation.ie | Bereavement Support Line 1800 80 70 77 | (01) 679 3188
The Irish Hospice Foundation provides end of life and bereavement supports and information.
The Children’s Palliative Hub
childrenspalliativehub.com | info@aiihpc.org| 01 491 2948
The Palliative Hub provides information for parents, carers and those involved in the care of a child with a life threatening or life limiting illness and who may require palliative care need in Ireland.
Irish Childhood Bereavement Network
childhoodbereavement.ie | icbn@hospicefoundation.ie| 01 679 3188
ICBN provides information about supporting children, siblings and adolescents during grief and loss.
Bereavement supports – Loss of an infant or loss during pregnancy
A little Lifetime Foundation
alittlelifetime.ie | info@alittlelifetime.ie| 01 8829030
A Little Lifetime provides free supports and services to parents whose baby has died around the time of birth or shortly afterwards and to parents who receive a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality in pregnancy
Feileacain The Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Association
feileacain.ie | admin@feileacain.ie | 085 2496464
Féileacáin provides support to anyone affected by the death of a baby during or soon after pregnancy.
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Ireland
The Pregnancy and Infant Loss Ireland website is a directory of information and supports for parents bereaved parents during pregnancy or infancy.
Bereavement supports – Loss of a child
Anam Cara
anamcara.ie | info@anamcara.ie| (01) 4045378
Anam Cara is a national organisation providing information, resources along with online and face to face support services to parents after the death of their child.
First Light – Supporting Suddenly Bereaved Parents and Families
firstlight.ie | info@firstlight.ie| Office- 01 8732711 | National 24-Hour Helpline-1800 391 391
Firstlight provides support to families suddenly bereaved of a child up to 18 years.
Palliative care and end of life supports and information
The sections below provide details of hospitals and community supports available for children receiving palliative or end of life care.
Hospital supports
A range of support staff and teams may be available to support your family
Supports and information
Jack and Jill The Childrens Foundation
jackandjill.ie | info@jackandjill.ie| 045 894 538
Jack and Jill provides in-home nursing care and respite support throughout Ireland for children up to the age of 6 with severe to profound neurodevelopmental delay. This may include children with brain injury, genetic diagnosis, cerebral palsy, and undiagnosed conditions. Another key part of their service is end of life care for all children up to the age of 6, irrespective of diagnosis.
LauraLynn Ireland
lauralynn.ie | info@lauralynn.ie| 01 2893151
LauraLynn provides specialist palliative and supportive care services to meet the needs of children (0-18 years old) with life-limiting conditions and their families in Ireland. LauraLynn provides care for the child while also supporting the whole family with targeted supports available to siblings, parents, grandparents and more. Care can be delivered at the hospice building in Dublin or in the family home with the Care in the Community Team providing care and supports in children’s homes across Leinster, Cork, Kerry and Limerick.
The Children’s Palliative Hub
childrenspalliativehub.com | info@aiihpc.org| 01 491 2948
The Palliative Hub provides information for parents, carers and those involved in the care of a child with a life threatening or life limiting illness and who may require palliative care need in Ireland.
Supporting siblings
Supports and information for bereaved children and teens
Always in my heart – a book for 9-12 year olds who are experiencing grief
Always in My Heart” is a book for 9-12 year olds who are experiencing grief
Barnardos
barnardos.ie | info@barnardos.ie| (01) 453 0355
Barnardo’s Children’s Bereavement Service works with families to help them support their child through the grieving process.
Barretstown – Bereavement Camp
barretstown.org | info@barretstown.org| 045 864 115
The bereavement weekends at Barretstown offer the whole family a supportive environment within which they can spend quality time together, find support, share their experience of loss and find ways to look to the journey ahead
Finding Your Way Through Grief – For Teens and Young Adults
Order Free Book Here
Online Book
This book was designed as a resource for young people themselves to use as they navigate their way through bereavement and loss.
First Light – Play Therapy
firstlight.ie | info@firstlight.ie| Office- 01 8732711 | National 24-Hour Helpline-1800 391 391
Play therapy is a service provided by FirstLight for children following a bereavement
Irish Childhood Bereavement Network
childhoodbereavement.ie | icbn@hospicefoundation.ie| 01 679 3188
ICBN provides information about supporting children, siblings and adolescents during grief and loss.
Jacinta’s Smile – Sibling Bereavement Support
jacintassmile.ie | info@jacintassmile.ie| 087 422 0000
Jacinta’s smile provides a range of supports for children and young people who have lost a sibling
Rainbows
rainbowsireland.ie | ask@rainbowsireland.ie | 01 4734175
Rainbows provides support groups for children who have experienced grief and loss due to bereavement or parental separation.
Memory making
Keepsakes can play a vital role in the grieving process following loss of a baby or child and many parents and family members find making memories and having such reminders afterwards a great comfort.
Memory making activities can involve anything that is meaningful to your family such as photographs, crafts, moulds of hands or feet,
creating memory boxes and many other possibilities. Ask your nurse, medical social worker or play specialist about memory making
supports available in the hospital.
See below for additional memory making ideas and resources.
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Ireland
https://www.facebook.com/nilmdtsireland | nilmdtsireland@gmail.com| 083 377 4777
Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep provides free photography services for babies who will never have the opportunity to have professional photography i.e. babies who were stillborn, have died in the early days after birth, have never left the hospital, or who are sent home or to a hospice.
Making Memories – A Guide To Making Memories
This document was created by Irish mothers and shares how they approached creating their own memory boxes
Financial supports
Irish Hospice Foundation – Rosabel’s Room To Heal Fund
Rosabels Room to Heal Fund | info@hospicefoundation.ie | (01) 679 3188
Rosabel's Room to Heal Fund provides financial support to families when an infant or child aged 0-21 dies in Ireland