What we do

Sands is the UK’s leading pregnancy and baby loss charity, speaking up about pregnancy and baby loss, saving babies’ lives and supporting bereaved families.  

 

How we do it

We’re creating a community of compassionate and lifesaving changemakers, whose voices inspire change and turn understanding into action.  

Together, we are saving babies’ lives and improving maternity safety and bereavement care through research, training and campaigning.  

Keep reading to find out more about how the different areas of our work contribute to achieving these aims. 

 

Supporting bereaved families 

Sands provides a safe, understanding and caring community for anyone touched by pregnancy or baby loss. We can help, whether your loss happened recently or long ago. We're here to support you whenever you need us. 

Sands offers many types of support.  

We have specialist, trauma-informed services, including our telephone helpline, email support, and online group sessions.  

We have a UK-wide network of local groups offering support in the community and social media groups helping people connect wherever they are.  

There are also free resources for partners, siblings, grandparents, and wider family and friends. 

 

Bereavement Care

Not everyone in the UK is receiving high-quality bereavement care after pregnancy or baby loss. Sands works to give healthcare professionals the training, tools and support they need to provide excellent bereavement care. 

Sands lead the way in setting the standards for high-quality bereavement care through the National Bereavement Care Pathway programmes across the UK. We help hospitals use these standards every day. 

Not all workplaces offer sensitive and safe support to colleagues who have been touched by pregnancy or baby loss. This can harm someone’s health and wellbeing at work. 

Our Bereavement in the Workplace training programme, helps every organisation be supportive, understanding and compassionate to people affected by pregnancy and baby loss. 

 

Networks and Volunteering

  • Specialist Befriender training held and support given.
  • Dedicated staff to support new Groups.
  • Supporting Group volunteers with communications, troubleshooting, financial support and difficult situations.
  • Building links within and across Group Networks with Network calls, Network Days and regular newsletters.

     

Saving Babies’ Lives 

One in two of us, or somebody we know, has experienced the loss of a pregnancy or death of a baby. At Sands, we are doing everything within our combined power to inspire change and prevent babies from dying. Our voices turn understanding into action – saving babies’ lives through research, training and campaigning. 

Listening to parents helps save lives. Sands puts bereaved parents' experiences at the heart of research. These experiences help academics and clinicians understand why babies die and how maternity care can be improved. 

Sands is building a research network to prioritise and support the studies we know will make the most difference. We share our expertise and collaborate, so funding proposals have the best chance of success.

 

Speaking up about pregnancy and baby loss

Pregnancy and baby loss doesn’t receive enough attention within the crowded political and healthcare agendas across UK governments.  

As the UK’s leading pregnancy and baby loss charity, we’re creating a community of compassionate and lifesaving changemakers, whose voices inspire change and turn understanding into action. 

Our fundraising and challenge events give people an opportunity to come together, create community and a powerful legacy for their baby. Because funds raised help us to reach more people and do more vital work to save babies’ lives.  

Our partnerships connect businesses and organsiations, their people and their expertise with Sands. This allyship means we can share learning, support each other and grow Sands. 

Sands works to keep pregnancy and baby loss in the news, and at the top of the political agenda across the UK.  

Through campaigns, both our own and by leading Baby Loss Awareness Week, we amplify the voices of bereaved parents.  

We ensure their experiences of pregnancy and baby loss shape national policies, leading to safer care and equal access to bereavement support. 

Let’s speak up about pregnancy and baby loss and save babies’ lives. For babies everywhere. 

 

Finance and resources

Sands is doing much more than ever before – yet there is always so much more that's needed. We want to grow Sands with your support so we can reach everyone who needs us, ensuring the diversity of our community is reflected in our staff and volunteers. 

As the need for our support grows, so does our commitment to making sure it's available for people wherever they are. We’re making sure Sands is keeping up with the latest digital innovations so we can reach more people online and in-person. 

We will always ensure we are making good use of the charity’s money and resources and that the generosity of our donors, fundraisers, and partners has maximum impact in saving babies' lives and supporting bereaved families.