Charity says care for bereaved parents is a "postcode lottery"

A local bereavement charity says it is a "postcode lottery" when it comes to care for parents who have lost babies across Scotland.

SANDS Lothians offers counselling, therapy and all-round support to Mum's and Dad's who have lost a child in Edinburgh and the Lothians. But it's not the same for others across the country.

Chief Executive of the charity Nicola Welsh has told us that she receives calls from across Scotland from parents who are struggling to find support after the death of their baby.

Nicola herself lost her son Theo in 2009 when he was just three weeks old. She says: "They did everything possible for Theo to live. But when I came out because I had been out of maternity service I got lost. I wasn't signposted or directed to where I needed to go. I didn't know about SANDS Lothian or any groups, or even where to find another bereaved parent.

"I had loads of friends and family around me but I was seeking someone who really understood the pain I was feeling and the impact it was having on me. You return to work and everyone is going at a fast speed, but I was going so slow. I wanted to talk about Theo all the time.

"Leaving the hospital without your baby is the most painful thing a parent will ever do. It is not normal.

"I'm not entirely sure if that (bereavement care) is happening throughout Scotland. It should be. It shouldn't be a postcode lottery. If a baby dies regardless of where the baby sadly dies, that family should have access to the very very best bereavement care that we can possibly provide."