Deadly Dads: Support When You’ve Lost a Bub

When a baby or child dies, it turns everything upside down. The grief can feel heavy — like a fog that won’t lift.

And as a dad, you might feel like you’ve got to keep it all together for everyone else. But you’re hurting too, and you deserve support just as much as anyone.

“SMS4DeadlyDads is a really great start for dads to have a platform where they can read or respond to someone or something and that can give them a pathway to take if they are a little bit lost.” 

Deadly Dads – Grief and Loss is a free text message service created especially for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dads who’ve experienced the heartbreaking loss of a baby or child.

When you sign up, you’ll get messages sent straight to your phone. No app to download, no logins to remember. Just texts — with words that speak to where you’re at, offering comfort, strength, and simple reminders that you’re not alone.

The messages include:

• Gentle support for when things feel overwhelming
• Ways to care for your wellbeing while you’re grieving
• Reminders that there’s no “right way” to feel
• Tips for keeping connected with your partner, family, and mob
• Real stories and advice from other blokes who’ve been through it

You don’t have to reply to the messages, and there’s no pressure to share anything. It’s just quiet support, sent your way.

Hear from a family with lived experience of a loss

This service was created in partnership with Aboriginal dads and health workers, to make sure it reflects real experiences and feels culturally safe. It’s one small way to walk beside you, during a time when everything else feels too hard.

You’re not alone. You’re not forgotten. There’s support for you, too.

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.