‘Still Parents’ is the Whitworth’s pioneering arts engagement programme, supporting parents who have experienced the loss of a baby in pregnancy or just after birth. It is a unique partnership between the Whitworth and Manchester Sands (Stillbirth and Neo Natal Death Charity).

Over the past 4 years participants of the Still Parents project frequently describe the care they receive at the time of their loss as one of the most important aspects of their experience. The support they receive from healthcare providers, especially midwives, can make a significant difference in how they cope with their loss and begin to heal.

Thanks to funding from the Rayne Foundation and Sands charity our ambition is to now not only increase the impact of our work with bereaved parents but also to support the midwives who care for them, through a complimentary programme called ‘Still Care’.

Currently midwives are being driven out of the NHS by understaffing and fears they
can’t deliver safe care to women. This is leading to emotional
exhaustion, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress for those left in the profession. These emotional challenges can impact overall wellbeing and can potentially impact the quality of care they provide to bereaved families.

The Still Care programme will align with that in other health care settings that have begun to
understand that creative arts-based interventions can be effective in reducing symptoms of
burnout, depression, and anxiety among healthcare professionals. While there is a growing
body of research on the effectiveness of creative arts-based interventions for healthcare
professionals, there is still a significant need for programs and interventions that specifically
address the emotional needs of bereavement midwives. The unique emotional demands of
this work, combined with the high risk of emotional exhaustion and burnout, highlight the
need for targeted interventions that provide midwives with tools to manage their emotions,
cope with the challenges of their work, and support their overall wellbeing.

Further to this, we are working alongside Midwifery Course Leaders at both Universities in
Greater Manchester to run a series of Study Days which are designed to complement the Bereavement Module training that the midwives receive as part of their course. Our aim is to work with our partners to ensure that the next generation of midwives are equipped with some additional tools and coping mechanisms, to help them prepare for baby loss if and when it happens.

By supporting those that care for bereaved parents we hope to make optimal care more certain for grieving parents which will, in turn, contribute towards positive social change and better outcomes for all. Through the ‘Still Parents’ programme we helped tell the story of baby loss and raise awareness of what is considered a taboo subject. We would now like to tell the other side of the story too, allowing midwives the opportunity to tell their stories and highlight the challenges they face.

We’ll keep you updated with progress with workshops starting in February 2024. For any questions email lucy.turner@manchester.ac.uk.