A shoulder to lean on

Russell Stephens from pregnancy and baby charity Tommy’s shares how business owners can support their staff through pregnancy complications and baby loss

Millions in the UK are touched every year by pregnancy complications and baby loss, with a 2023 survey finding that 50% of UK adults had personal experience or knew someone who had been affected.

Pregnancy and baby charity Tommy’s funds research into pregnancy, campaigns for support for parents and offers advice around the topics of baby loss and pregnancy complications.

Russell Stephens, pregnancy and parenting at work project manager at Tommy’s, commented: “Pregnancy loss has historically been something that many people find it difficult to talk about. We commissioned a YouGov poll for Tommy’s recently which found that 53% of respondents said either they ‘would not know what to say’ or ‘would worry about saying the wrong thing’ to a friend, family member or colleague who had experienced a loss.

“Only 12% were ‘very confident’ they would know what to say to someone whose pregnancy ended in loss, or who had a premature baby in need of hospital care.

“Recent developments like the introduction of neonatal care leave and baby loss certificates help by bringing the subject out into the open and recognising its lifelong impact.

“It’s really important for people to recognise that all these losses aren’t inevitable. There’s so much more we can do to spare families from this grief.”

UPDATES TO PARENTAL LEAVE POLICIES

On April 6, the Government made a huge step forward by introducing the right to neonatal care leave, which applies from the first day of employment, estimated to support around 60,000 new parents.

If a baby is admitted to neonatal care up to 28 days old and stays continuously in hospital for seven full days or longer, parents can take up to 12 weeks of leave. This is on top of any other leave they are entitled to (including maternity and paternity leave).

Parents will also receive neonatal care pay if they have been in their job for at least 26 weeks before they request neonatal care leave, and they earn at least £123 a week, on average. Both requirements are the same as those needed to qualify for statutory maternity pay.

Stephens commented on the charity’s hopes for the future: “We’re continuing to campaign at Tommy’s for similarly consistent rights around leave after pregnancy loss.

“The Government has signalled that it will introduce a right to bereavement leave after miscarriage or any other pregnancy loss before 24 weeks. It plans to do this as part of the Employment Rights Bill that is currently making its way through Parliament.

“However, the details are not yet clear. We don’t know how much leave will be available to women who experience early pregnancy loss, or their partners, and we don’t yet know whether it they will be entitled to paid leave.”

BIRTH CERTIFICATES FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE LOST BABIES IN PREGNANCY

In February last year, the Government introduced baby loss certificates for parents in England who have lost a baby before 24 weeks of pregnancy, or before 28 weeks if their loss happened earlier than October 1992.

Stephens said: “The Government recently announced that more than 100,000 people have applied for a baby loss certificate since the scheme was launched. We know it’s brought comfort to many who are living with the grief of losing a baby, sometimes decades ago.”

WHAT RESOURCES OR TRAINING DOES TOMMY’S OFFER FOR BUSINESSES THAT WANT TO BETTER SUPPORT CLIENTS OR STAFF COPING WITH PREGNANCY LOSS?

Tommy’s pregnancy and parenting at work training helps workplaces support their employees through any pregnancy journey, from planning and parenting to complications and losses.

The programme provides training and resources that help managers understand and recognise parents’ needs at work – including supporting team members through pregnancy loss. It’s available for organisations for any size and you can get in touch with them via pregnancyatwork@tommys.org.

They also have lots of resources that offer guidance about what to say to someone after they’ve experienced a pregnancy loss, including a conversation guide.