30th anniversary of Held In Our Hearts
Tabled 12 February 2026 by Dr Scott Arthur
That this House notes that 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Held In Our Hearts, a Scottish charity providing specialist baby-loss counselling and peer support to families across Scotland; acknowledges its growth from a small service in the Lothians to a charity delivering compassionate, individualised support across multiple NHS Health Boards; recognises its mission to ensure that no bereaved family faces baby loss alone; commends the 2025 Impact Report, which highlights the expansion and evaluation of the Hospital to Home (H2H) early-intervention model, offering specialist support to families in the critical weeks following pregnancy, baby or infant loss; further notes evidence that early intervention reduces isolation, improves mental health outcomes and strengthens family relationships during an exceptionally traumatic period; also notes rising demand for specialist bereavement care, reflected in 534 referrals and 3,349 support sessions delivered in 2024, alongside wider pressures from increasing neonatal mortality rates and more families seeking help; acknowledges effective partnerships between Held In Our Hearts and NHS Health Boards, including Lothian, Fife, Forth Valley and Highland, ensuring continuity of care through proactive referral pathways; pays tribute to the staff, counsellors, peer supporters, volunteers and partners whose compassion and expertise underpin this work; and calls on the Government and devolved administrations to support the continued expansion of specialist baby-loss services, including the Hospital to Home model, so that all families experiencing loss receive timely, compassionate and person-centred care.