Red Nose Grief and Loss Support Group Guidelines

We hope that you will find a welcoming, safe space to experience support and connectedness within our community of bereaved parents who have also experienced the heartbreak of a baby or young child dying, a baby being stillborn, a pregnancy loss or medically advised termination.

Our support groups are held on a monthly basis and are up to two hours in duration.

Here are a few guidelines to assist you to know what to expect before your first group:

• Our support groups are co-facilitated by two (wherever possible) specially trained peer supporter volunteers, counsellors, peer support team members or a mixture of any of these. We cannot comment on any medical issues raised by bereaved parents
• There will be diversity within each group, including diversity of losses. In keeping with the principle of ‘no hierarchy of grief’, we recognise and respect the grief of all who attend the group to receive support in their grief
• We understand that for some people just coming and sitting amongst other bereaved parents will be all they seek/need. We do not have any expectation for you to share your grief story if you don’t feel ready or would prefer not to
• We will try to create an opportunity for all who would like to share their story. At times we may have to gently move people on so that each bereaved parent has the chance to be heard
• We are committed to the privacy of each person present so ask that all in attendance are respectful of this as well. We will manage all your information in a confidential manner
• Children are not able to be in attendance at our support groups – in respect to the grief stories and emotions being shared
• Our support groups are for anyone aged 17 and over
• If we don’t have any registrations by the afternoon of the group, we may need to cancel the group.
• Similarly, if you are the only one in attendance – individually or as a couple – as a result of people registering but not attending, we won’t conduct the support group as we usually would, but would love to offer you the opportunity to have a support conversation with a group facilitator(s) for up to an hour
• Registration through peersupportgroups@rednose.org.au is a requirement for all support groups