VCA Directory of Baby Loss Support and Associated Organisations in Aotearoa NZ

Support, Memory-Making and Information

A Star is Born  https://www.astarisborn.nz/
A Dunedin group providing memory making for bereaved families, set up in 2016. The service provides hand and foot casting, photography, products and keepsakes at no cost to families, and is a voluntary organisation.

Action to Improve Maternity (AIM) www.aim.org.nz
AIM is a charitable trust that supports families following a birth tragedy. AIM’s core goals include supporting families in need due to needless death or injury of their family member through maternity system failure in NZ; to guide families through complex systems in place now and to aid in the creation of simpler systems in the future.

Angel Casts NZ  www.angelcasts.co.nz
Angel Casts create beautifully detailed hand and feet stone replicas of a baby or child who has left their parents arms too soon. These 3D stone casts provide bereaved families with a tangible memory of their wee angel. Being able to hold your child’s hand again, long after they’re gone, can offer comfort and healing for many parents. This is a free service for Hamilton families and neighbouring areas.

Baby Bereavement Group  www.hopeandsons.co.nz 
A Dunedin based group providing support for bereaved parents and families following baby loss. Monthly support meetings are held at Hope & Sons Funeral Directors, Bay View Road, Dunedin.

Baby Loss NZ www.babyloss.co.nz
A South Auckland-based group that also has branches in Hauraki/Piako and Christchurch. Their main service is the provision of Care Bags and their Tangible Memory Making Service, and they also hold coffee mornings, run baby loss awareness events and provide training and education for health professionals.

Change for Our Children www.changeforourchildren.co.nz
Change for our Children is a social innovation organisation that is committed to developing local, sustainable solutions. They focus on education around safe sleep and run the Pepi-Pod Programme, a sleep space programme that provides safe sleeping products for vulnerable infants.

Father and Child Trust www.fatherandchild.org.nz
The Father and Child Trust aims to bring a ‘dad perspective’ to existing family services and address the lack of information and support for New Zealand dads. They offer resources and information sheets, support and courses for fathers. They have active groups in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Forever Present www.islaandpema.webs.com
A small organisation set up by two mothers who experienced infant loss. They raise funds to provide care boxes to families who experience a SUDI death. The boxes are distributed through SUDI Liaison Officers as part of the coronial process.  

Heartfelt www.heartfelt.org.au
Heartfelt is a volunteer organisation of professional photographers from across NZ and Australia dedicated to giving the gift of photographic memories to families that have experienced stillbirth, premature births, or have children with serious or terminal illnesses. All services are provided free of charge.

Hōkai Tahi www.hokaitahi.nz
Hōkai Tahi is a Wairarapa-based independent charity that supports women and their whānau through pregnancy, termination, and baby loss in any circumstance or at any stage. They offer a clinically-based, community-focused service, which includes grief counselling, a baby loss support group and a men's support group. 

Huggable Hearts https://www.huggablehearts.co.nz/
Huggable Hearts is a family-run organisation who provide comfort to New Zealand families who are experiencing or who have experienced the loss of a baby. They make special, customised hearts to the weight of precious angels gone too soon. They use minky, fleece and flannel fabrics, in addition to donated blankets and wraps which are up-cycled, they can also make Huggable Hearts extra special by using material from a blanket or item you provide (if the weight is not known they will use an approximate weight to the age).

Little Miracles Trust https://littlemiraclestrust.org.nz/
The Little Miracles Trust (formerly the Neonatal Trust) is a registered charity providing support and coordination to families of neonatal babies as they make their journeys through neonatal intensive care, the transition home and onwards. There are four regional trusts in Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, and Canterbury. The Little Miracles Trust provides information packs to families, regular morning teas/catch ups,  two retail shops in Auckland and Wellington hospitals, and they support the NICUs and SCBUs by providing equipment and furnishing accommodation for parents.

Little Shadow (formerly PND Wellington) www.littleshadow.org.nz
Little Shadow offers counselling, support and information for those experiencing perinatal distress. They will walk beside you in your journey, working collaboratively with health professionals and other organisations to help you on your journey to wellness.

Massage After Miscarriage https://www.massageaftermiscarriage.com/
Massage After Miscarriage Aotearoa provides a tailored service to support mothers in need of solace following the loss of their baby. Their overarching mission is to engage beauty and massage therapists, florists, and various other businesses across New Zealand to extend essential nurturing to women who have endured pregnancy loss at any stage, free of charge. The service is operated through midwife referral. Midwives can make contact on behalf of their patients. Massage After Miscarriage then makes contact to find a suitable date, time and spa and set up the free appointment.

Miscarriage Matters https://www.miscarriagematters.org.nz/
A new group in New Zealand, established in 2019, with the aim to be a voice for miscarriage in New Zealand; to improve the experience of miscarriage in New Zealand by empowering people with information, advocacy and support; and, to raise awareness, connecting existing services, provide information, deliver care packages, support midwives (and other maternity carers), support research, and advocate for positive change. 

Miscarriage Support www.miscarriagesupport.org.nz
Miscarriage Support (Auckland) is a voluntary web based group that provides comprehensive information about miscarriage and associated topics on their website. They provide a pamphlet, Understanding Miscarriage, to hospital and health professionals throughout the country.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS) www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org
NILMDTS trains, educates and mobilises professional photographers to provide beautiful heirloom portraits to families facing the untimely death of an infant. They have photographers in 40 countries around the world.

Perinatal Anxiety & Distress Aotearoa (PADA) www.pada.nz
A national organisation working to raise awareness, champion best practice and eliminate stigma associated with perinatal mental health and well-being. PADA was previously the Perinatal Mental Health NZ Trust.

Pixie Dreams Casting Facebook page
A free casting service for bereaved families in the Rotorua region. Pixie Dreams Casting is run by Ashleigh Morris in memory of her third child, Luka. 

Post Abortion Trauma Healing Service (PATHS) www.postabortionpaths.org.nz
A Christian based, independent, non-political, non-denominational organisation based in Christchurch that provides counselling for parents who have experienced an abortion. Working on setting up a national wide network of counsellors. They also run seminars for professionals.

Pregnancy Help www.pregnancyhelp.org.nz
Pregnancy Help aims to provide free and client focused practical assistance, information and advice during pregnancy and early childhood. They offer a telephone support line for any women who is pregnant or has been pregnant, and their practical assistance includes equipment, clothing and other pregnancy items. Some branches of Pregnancy Help offer counselling and drop-in centres.

Project Butterfly www.projectbutterfly.co.nz & www.butterflywalkwayporirua.co.nz
A Nelson-based group set up to provide a memorial pathway for bereaved families and provide funding for counselling and therapy sessions.

Rare Disorders New Zealand https://raredisorders.org.nz/
RDNZ is the respected voice of rare disorders in New Zealand. They are the only national organisation supporting all New Zealanders who live with a rare condition, and the people who care for them. Their enquiries line, website and support group networks allow patients to access knowledge quickly. They also offer direct support to link people to information on specific rare diseases and to navigate the health system.

Remembrance Photography www.remembrancephotography.org  
A web based resource for parents, families and health professionals to help guide them through the process of remembrance photography following the death of a baby. The resources have been developed through research with bereaved parents and consultation with Sands NZ. The brochure is now used in hospitals throughout NZ to introduce, inspire and assist parents and midwives.

Sands New Zealand www.sands.org.nz
Sands NZ is a nationwide network of support groups for parents and families who have experienced the death of a baby at any gestation or age, and under any circumstances. Sands provides support in the community through support meetings and face to face support, offers training and education for professionals and provides baskets, clothing and memory making items and services to (most) hospitals throughout the country.

SIDS and Kids NZ www.sidsandkids.org.nz 
Previously called SIDS NZ, SIDS and Kids NZ provides a 24-hour sudden infant death helpline, provision of bassinettes to high risk families, counselling, publications and peer support.

Skylight www.skylight.org.nz
A national not-for-profit trust that enables children, young people, their family/whanau and friends to navigate through times of trauma, loss and grief. Skylight facilitates access to expert information, education, professional services and support. They also educate, train and support professionals, agencies and individuals who assist those dealing with trauma, loss and grief.

Still Mums Facebook page
The organisation “Still Mums” was created by Jade Duley-Priest to honour her daughter Marley who died in 2018 (it was originally called Me and Marley). They provide care packages and support for the women and families of Southland who have experienced loss in late pregnancy or shortly after birth.

Trauma and Birth Stress (TABS) www.tabs.org.nz
Web based information on post-partum PTSD and birth trauma; TABS also provides information on research, individual contact people throughout the country, and international groups that provide support and information.

The Loss and Grief Centre www.lossandgriefcentre.com
In Invercargill – 49 Tay St. Runs a Pregnancy Loss Support Group from 10:30am -11:30am on Tuesdays.


National Organisations (Partially or Fully Government Funded)

Health & Disability Commission www.hdc.org.nz
The Commission’s mission is to independently uphold consumer rights by promotion and protection, resolving complaints, service monitoring and advocacy, and education. The Commission has a free advocacy service that can be accessed by anyone who needs support in resolving a complaint or having questions answered.

Victim Support
www.victimsupport.org.nz
A nationwide network of volunteers who support victims of suicide, accidental or sudden death, fire, traffic accident, and civil defence emergency. Funded through the Ministry of Justice with a head office and 120 paid staff, but they rely on a majority of volunteers to deliver their service.

Hāpai te Hauora – National SUDI Prevention Coordination Service http://sudinationalcoordination.co.nz/
The National SUDI Prevention Coordination Service (SPCS) is a key part of the wider National SUDI Prevention Programme (NSPP). The role of Hāpai Te Hauora will be to provide leadership, oversight, monitoring, guidance and resources to both the four Regional SUDI Coordinators and 20 DHBs. Our goal is to reduce the incidence of SUDI in Aotearoa across all our communities.

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