Hospital to Home — Supporting You from Hospital to Home
Outreach support for families experiencing the death of a baby or infant
For many families, the hardest part of grief begins when you leave the hospital and return home without your baby. The “Hospital to Home” program helps bridge that gap by offering free, tailored support in the early months after loss.
Australia-wide and available to all bereaved parents (stillbirth, neonatal death, termination for medical reasons (TFMR), or sudden unexpected infant death (SUDI)), we walk alongside you in those critical first weeks and months
What the program offers
With compassion and lived experience at its heart, our Bereavement Outreach Workers provide support in ways that work for you. Services are available face-to-face (where possible), by phone or video.
Tailored for you: each family’s journey is unique. We design your support plan around your needs, when you need it.
Support can include:
- Emotional & grief support: helping you talk about your baby, process your feelings, and manage relationships after loss.
- Memory-making: creating keepsakes such as handprints, photographs, special clothing, or other meaningful items.
- Funeral & memorial guidance: support with arrangements, burial/cremation decisions and honouring your baby’s life.
- Practical & transition support: attending medical appointments, receiving genetic or autopsy results, talking to employers about return-to-work, unsubscribing from parenting forums, accessing entitlements.
- Sibling & extended family support: helping you talk to and support siblings, liaising with schools if needed, offering assistance to grandparents and other family members (including those living overseas).
Timing & Access
You can access the Hospital to Home program within three months of your loss.
It is a free service, available to all families across Australia. You or your hospital/professional may refer you.
You can refer yourself or a loved one into the Hospital to Home program. Professionals can also refer bereaved parents with consent. Our program is available to parents in the aftermath stillbirth, neonatal death, termination for medical reasons (TFMR) or sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) – and we’re here to help with any needs you may have during your grieving journey.
How to Refer:
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- Self-Referral: If you would like to access support, you can refer yourself through our referral form.
- Referral on Behalf of Parents: If you’re a healthcare professional, you can refer bereaved parents with their consent.
Why Hospital to Home?
This program, the first of its kind in the world, is an essential service for parents facing the grief of losing a child. Research and experience from our team show that the time after leaving the hospital can be the most challenging, as families are faced with the reality of their loss in a home that was once set up to welcome a new baby.
The Hospital to Home program offers a compassionate, parent-led approach that respects the unique needs of each family, providing individualized support and connecting families with appropriate services for ongoing care.
Continuing Support
The Hospital to Home program complements other Red Nose services, including our 24/7 support line, peer support groups, and professional counselling services. We are here to ensure that no family has to face this journey alone, and we’re committed to walking with you through every step of the way.
Red Nose is committed to supporting families navigating the complexities of the loss of a baby or child. To access our specialised bereavement support including: counselling, peer support programs, support groups, and resources tailored to individual needs, click here.
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