We’re so happy to announce Petals counselling service has arrived in Birmingham!
More bereaved parents across Birmingham will now be able to access our specialist baby loss counselling, thanks to our service being launched at Birmingham Women’s Hospital this month.
Helping more bereaved parents access specialist support
Funded by the incredible support of Postcode Lottery players and a generous corporate donor, our new service will provide specialist counselling for up to 200 parents over the next two years, helping families access expert bereavement and trauma support following the loss of a baby.
The partnership will support parents who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, termination for medical reasons (TFMR) and other forms of pregnancy loss. Through direct referral from the hospital, parents can access Petals’ specialist online counselling service at no cost, giving them timely support from counsellors who understand the complexities of baby loss.
At Petals, we know there is no right or wrong way to grieve. Every family’s experience is different, which is why our specialist baby loss counsellors provide a safe, compassionate space where parents can begin to process their grief and trauma using our evidence-based counselling programme.
“A gateway back to life”
Embedding specialist counselling within maternity services helps ensure more families can access support in a way that reflects their individual experiences, backgrounds and needs. By working in partnership with NHS hospitals, we can make specialist bereavement support more accessible and reach more families at a time when they may be struggling to know where to find help.
Parents consistently describe Petals counselling as transformative, with one client describing it as a “gateway back to life” after loss.
Karen Burgess, Founder and CEO of Petals, said:
“I am delighted to be launching this service in partnership with Birmingham Women’s Hospital, enabling Birmingham parents experiencing baby loss to have direct access into our online specialist counselling service.
We are grateful to People’s Postcode Lottery players and our corporate donor for collaborating with us to fund this service over the next two years, and we wish to thank everyone who has gone above and beyond to make this all possible.”
Alison Rea, Senior Bereavement Midwife at Birmingham Women’s Hospital, said:
“We see first-hand how vital it is for bereaved families to receive the right support during what is often one of the most difficult times in their lives.
The specialist counselling provided by Petals will enhance the services and support we already offer to women and their families, helping to ensure they have access to compassionate, expert care when they need it most. We are proud to be part of this important initiative.”
To celebrate the launch, we recently visited Woodland House, the hospital’s brand new dedicated bereavement facility, where we met the Birmingham Women’s Hospital team and learned more about the compassionate care already available to families. It was a privilege to see the beautiful space that has been created to support parents through baby loss and to mark the beginning of this important partnership together with tea and cake.
We’re incredibly proud to be working alongside Birmingham Women’s Hospital to ensure more bereaved parents have access to specialist counselling when they need it most. Together, we’re helping more families find compassionate support after baby loss and making sure they don’t have to face their grief alone.
Find out more
If you would like to learn more about Petals’ hospital partnerships and how we’re working with NHS maternity services to improve access to specialist baby loss counselling across the UK, visit our Hospital Partnerships page.