A survey carried out by SANDs has reported that ‘Two out of five parents who went back to work after their baby died said no-one talked to them about their loss”.
SANDS carried out a survey of more than 2,500 bereaved parents and concluded that most employers did also not offer support.
The BBC Article says:
Dr Clea Harmer, chief executive of Sands, said: “Sadly, the death of a baby is not a rare event but too often, bereaved parents are faced by a wall of silence because people around them, family, friends, and colleagues, are lost for words.
“Death is never an easy subject and when a baby dies it is even harder to talk about.
“But finding the right words at the right time can really help to support bereaved parents and families when they need it most.
“Not everyone will be ready to talk about their bereavement – but simply saying, ‘I’m so sorry,’ for example, can really help.”
Dr Harmer added: “For grieving parents, returning to work may be a difficult step but the workplace can be a vital source of support.”
Unfortunately, this too has often been the story for bereaved parents at SLOW, although we also know there are some sympathetic employers out there. Bereaved parents very often don’t get anywhere near the level of support they need to cope.
In our experience at SLOW it is often essential that grieving parent want to verbalise the pain and to talk about their child and what has happened, sometimes over and over.
SLOW support groups are here for bereaved parents weeks, months or even years after the death of a child. For more information on our forthcoming groups click here
