‘We’re at crisis point’: Campaigners warn Leeds families deserve better after child loss
How one charity its calling for better child bereavement support in Leeds to support families during their darkest hour
Sadly the founders of Elliot’s Footprint know all too well the heartbreak that comes with losing a child.
Andrea and John Kerslake launched the charity in memory of their treasured son Elliot who died at the age of just two.
And they have made it their mission to support other families who have been faced with the unthinkable.
But now they have launched a new campaign to ensure that bereaved parents have immediate access to frontline support as they navigate their grief.
Holding Leeds Through Loss aims to offer support after the charity warned a critical gap has emerged in statutory support for Leeds families following the sudden unexpected death of an infant or child (SUDIC).
In England, it is a statutory requirement that families are allocated a named key worker following the death of a child.
Elliot’s Footprint has co-funded a dedicated bereavement support worker in Leeds since 2019, however this service became suddenly halted two months ago following a restructuring decision by their charity partner.
Andrea Kerslake, co-founder of Elliot’s Footprint, said: “We’re starting this campaign now because we’re at crisis point for the support for SUDIC families in Leeds and across West Yorkshire.
“Elliot’s Footprint has been in partnership to deliver the frontline bereavement support for families impacted by SUDIC and as of April this year, that support has stopped overnight.”
The Holding Leeds Through Loss campaign will bring together statutory agencies, healthcare providers, charities, and community partners to develop a sustainable solution for families who have lost a child.
A bereavement support worker provides emotional and practical support to a family after they have lost a child and operates as their named key worker.
Andrea described this role as “crucial” to help families grieve and navigate necessary procedures following their child’s death.
“The bereavement support worker would link in with the coroners, the hospitals, the police, the schools, and that then allows the family to focus on what they need and to be with each other,” Andrea said.
“The bereavement support worker is actually a buffer. The feedback from families is that (support) has been vital because emotionally it’s obviously draining and physically it’s draining.”
Families have told Elliot’s Footprint that the provision of this role has created a “safe space” and helped them “rebuild their lives after suddenly losing their child”.
Andrea and her husband John, created the charity Elliot’s Footprint in 2014 following the sudden death of their two-year-old son Elliot.
When Elliot passed away, Andrea remembers how her family had to chase for information from coroners and hospitals while they were experiencing grief, and this is why she believes adequate bereavement support is necessary.
Holding Leeds Through Loss will hold a roundtable event hosted by Alex Sobel MP at Squire Patton Boggs in September to discuss what action can be taken to strengthen bereavement support.
Featuring input from leaders in police, health, local government, the coroner’s office, and voluntary sector, the event will evaluate if successful bereavement support in other parts of the country could be replicated in Leeds.
Andrea said: “There’s lots of really good practising models across the UK where support is embedded within statutory services.
“The question for us is why isn’t that happening in Leeds?”
Alongside reintroducing an in-person bereavement support worker in Leeds, the Holding Leeds Through Loss campaign wants to create a holistic support pathway for families by providing bereavement training to key institutions.