Abigail's Footsteps are a baby loss charity providing support and counselling for bereaved parents and families as well as specialist bereavement training for midwives and healthcare professionals. Since 2010, we have worked to improve the way bereaved parents are cared for by hospitals and to better educate midwives on how to care for grieving parents. Sadly, stillbirths and neo-natal deaths occur daily, yet many hospitals are not equipped to deal with the parental care required, they have inadequate facilities and their staff receive little to no bereavement training. By working with medical professionals to understand the issues and seek solutions our charity has helped many families. One of our greatest contributions as a charity has been the creation and funding of the Abi cooling cot which allows parents valuable time to spend with their baby before saying goodbye. These cots are distributed UK wide wherever the need and as funding allows.
Donate to this charity
Abigail’s Footsteps is a Kent based baby loss charity, founded by Jo & David Ward in memory of their daughter Abigail Ward who was stillborn at 41 weeks gestation. Abigail was born in 2009 at Medway Maritime Hospital. Abigail’s Footsteps helps parents who have lost a much-loved baby by providing them with bereavement care and support following their loss. We strive to meet the unfunded gaps that sadly exist in the NHS relating to the baby loss services delivered by our partner NHS Trust Maternity Units. These services are summarised below into four key headings to provide the context of the Abigail’s Footsteps service offering.
Our vision
To work in partnership with the NHS to improve the bereavement care and support given to parents and families following the loss of a much-loved baby, both in the hospital and once they have returned home. To raise awareness of the gaps that exist in the provision of bereavement care in today’s NHS. To build upon the excellent foundations forged in the first 15 years of our existence to consolidate and continually improve our current service offering, moving into newer territory in our sector as a key influencer and challenger.
Our mission
To ensure that bereaved parents receive the highest standard of care, following the death of a much-loved baby. To provide healthcare professionals with excellent bereavement care training and support. To provide the right hospital facilities and environment for bereaved parents and families. To provide parents with the right counselling and support. To provide Professional Reflective Occupational Practice to Healthcare Professionals.