Befriending

This is one-to-one phone contact from a trained volunteer Befriender, arranged at a time convenient to you.  Befrienders are not counsellors but they have experienced the loss of a baby and can offer much needed support and empathy to bereaved parents (or to other family members such as grandparents.)  They can also talk through with you practical issues such as funeral arrangements and post mortems.  The support they offer may be just one phone call or may be contact over a longer period of time, depending on what is wanted.

We offer a number of different sessions:

EVENING MEETING: For all bereaved parents)

PREGNANCY AFTER LOSS: For those considering another pregnancy or already pregnant following loss.  It’s best to have been to at least 2 evening meetings first.

BABIES AFTER LOSS: For parents who are pregnant again or who now have a new baby following loss.

We hold monthly meetings – currently on Zoom – where bereaved parents can meet in a safe and confidential setting.  There is no obligation to talk and you are welcome to come on your own or as a couple or with a friend or family member.  A Befriender is always present at these meetings.

At WLS we currently have five trained Sands Befrienders, both mothers and fathers; these are bereaved parents, unpaid volunteers, who have successfully completed the Sands Befriender Training.