Still Parents Student Midwife Study Days

“Beyond anything that we could teach in a lecture.”
— Yvonne Boyd, BSc Programme Lead / Midwifery Lecturer, University of Salford

A Unique Learning Opportunity for Student Midwives

Midwifery education goes beyond clinical skills—it requires deep compassion, understanding, and the ability to support families through both joy and heartbreak. The Still Parents Study Days, developed in partnership with The University of Manchester and University of Salford as well as parents, provide an essential and immersive educational experience designed to prepare student midwives for one of the most sensitive aspects of their future practice: bereavement care.

By offering direct access to real-life stories from bereaved parents, these sessions foster empathy, confidence, and a stronger understanding of how to provide compassionate support to families experiencing baby loss. Grounded in art, storytelling, and reflective practice, the Study Days offer an invaluable addition to midwifery training programs, ensuring that future midwives are not only clinically prepared but also emotionally equipped for this challenging aspect of maternity care.

The Study Days include:

✔ Lived Experience: First-hand accounts from bereaved parents provide insights that no textbook can offer.
✔ Reflective & Practical Learning: Engaging discussions, Q&A sessions, and creative activities deepen understanding and confidence in bereavement care.

What Midwifery Lecturers Say:

“Our students attend these Study Days annually as part of their complex care midwifery module. Maternity bereavement education is an area that requires sensitivity in its approach, and we were looking at ways for our students to learn this topic in a deeper, more meaningful way—one that develops kindness and compassionate care in readiness for qualification.”
— Yvonne Boyd, University of Salford

What Student Midwives Say:

“Thank you for sharing your stories. I know 100% that this experience will make me a better midwife. I feel more confident and prepared to support families during the most difficult times.”

“This session showed true emotion—something no textbook could ever provide. I now feel equipped to offer compassionate, informed care.”

“Of my three years in this degree, this Study Day has been the most beneficial to my learning. It has profoundly impacted my future practice.”

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If you’re a Midwifery Lecturer, or know someone that is, then contact our Still Parents Producer, Lucy Turner:
📩 Email: Lucy.turner@manchester.ac.uk
📸 Instagram: @whitworthstillparents

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More About Still Parents

Still Parents is the Whitworth’s multi-award-winning programme designed to support parents who have experienced the loss of a baby in pregnancy or just after birth. For the last five years, the Whitworth has been running free monthly art workshops, facilitated by professional artists and supported by SANDs, the largest baby loss support charity in the UK.

Still Care is a new strand of this work, offering a similar model of free creative workshops tailored specifically for Midwives and other Healthcare Professionals who provide care to families experiencing baby loss. Developed in partnership with Manchester’s Foundation Trust Hospitals, this initiative is funded by the Rayne Foundation and supported by Sands.

📍 Find out more – Click here