Hospital to Home is a program operating throughout Australia, providing outreach support within three months of loss to bereaved parents who have experienced the death of a baby or infant through stillbirth (including TFMR), neonatal death or the sudden unexpected death of an infant (SUDI).
Support can be provided face-to-face, by phone or videoconference and is tailored to individual needs. Parents decide how they would like to be supported, the options include:
- Emotional support and help with memory making
- Guidance and support around creating a funeral/memorial
- Support to attend follow-up medical appointments and receive genetic test or autopsy results
- Providing information on grief, how it impacts individuals and relationships, and the supports available.
- Talking to/supporting siblings, liaison with their school
- Practical support, including unsubscribing from parenting forums and accessing Centrelink entitlements
- Preparing people within the community to respond sensitively to parents’ needs, including return to work
- Providing support to extended family (e.g. grandparents) living overseas
- Responding to requests from bereaved parents for other types of emotional and practical support.
Bereaved parents can self-refer into the program, and professionals caring for bereaved parents can refer them into the Hospital to Home program with parents’ consent.
Last modified: 11/3/22