The Treasured Babies Program

Treasured Babies Program – Supporting Bereaved Families with Compassionate Care

The Treasured Babies Program, initiated in 2002, is a vital service designed to support families who experience the devastating loss of a baby. Available to hospitals and funeral homes across Australia, the program provides essential resources that help parents during a time of profound grief, offering comfort and support when it’s needed most.

How the Treasured Babies Program Supports Families

The Treasured Babies program offers a range of special gifts to bereaved parents, including clothing packs, Angel boxes for burial, memory boxes for precious keepsakes, and remembrance boxes for early losses. These carefully curated items are supplied to hospitals and funeral homes, ensuring that parents can dress their baby with love and care, even in the most difficult circumstances. Items are available for order through our easy-to-use form here.

Each piece of clothing is thoughtfully designed with input from midwives, social workers, and bereaved parents to ensure they are appropriate for babies of all gestational ages. This includes clothing for babies who pass before full term, those born prematurely, or those who die shortly after birth. Some garments are designed to open flat, minimizing handling for fragile infants.

Supporting Healthcare Professionals and Funeral Homes

Hospitals and funeral homes are essential partners in ensuring that grieving families receive the support they need. The Treasured Babies Program equips hospital staff with appropriately-sized items, ensuring that parents have access to the right clothing and keepsakes during their stay. This availability can significantly reduce stress and allow parents to spend more time cherishing their baby.

The program also provides literature to answer parents’ immediate questions and inform them about available grief support options, helping them navigate the difficult days ahead.

Community-Driven and Free-of-Charge

The Treasured Babies Program is driven by a network of dedicated volunteers across Australia. Volunteers sew, knit, and crochet garments, and groups like the Croydon Men’s Shed in Victoria create the wooden Angel boxes. These items are sent via Reply Paid postage to hospitals and funeral homes, with orders processed and shipped by a special team in Mooroolbark.

Thanks to the generosity of community donations, the program is entirely free-of-charge for families and services that require support. We encourage professionals to reach out if they have a family in need.

For more information or to place an order, please contact us at treasuredbabies@rednose.org.au or download our order form here

Donate to the Treasured Babies Program

The Treasured Babies Program relies on the kindness of donors to continue offering this invaluable service to families in need. Learn more about how you can support this program here.

By offering bereaved families thoughtful, practical support during an unimaginable time, the Treasured Babies Program helps them create lasting memories and navigate their grief with love and dignity.

Volunteer your time

The Treasured Babies Program could not continue to operate without contributions from our hardworking and dedicated volunteers.

If you wish to find our more about becoming a volunteer, please Register to volunteer