This vision unites us, because we think that it is simply not right that currently in the UK, 13 babies die shortly before, during or soon after birth*. And there’s still much uncertainty around the numbers and rates of pregnancy loss, with evidence suggesting at least 1 in 6 pregnancies end in miscarriage. More babies die around birth than at any other time in childhood. And yet we know many of these deaths are preventable with better care.

Numbers alone can’t ever capture the impact of this immeasurable loss for parents and families. The heartbreak and devastation - much wanted babies forever missed, and families sharing different futures and stories than those they had hoped for.

But together we can make change happen.

Clea Harmer,
Chief Executive, Sands

* Sands and Tommy's Joint Policy Unit Saving Babies' Lives Report 2025
** Source Sands and Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit Joint Policy Unit Saving Babies’ Lives Report 2024

Sands has been there for thousands of parents and families when they needed compassion, understanding and care. Just last year, in 2025, 650,000 people accessed our bereavement support and safer pregnancy advice, through:

• Our accredited helpline
• Online and digital support
• Local peer support groups and community activities

Sands supports anyone affected by all types of pregnancy loss or the death of a baby. Every experience is unique, and our support reflects that. We’re proud to offer our support in every nation of the UK.

Sands has led the National Bereavement Care Pathways programme, which sets standards for high-quality, compassionate care after baby loss.

It is now adopted in:

• 100% of NHS maternity trusts in England
• All NHS boards in Scotland
• Progress is underway in Wales and Northern Ireland

And we provide comprehensive training and resources for healthcare professionals, both in hospitals and in community settings, so parents receive compassionate, consistent care during and after their hospital experience.

We provide training and resources for:

• Hospital based healthcare professionals including midwives, sonographers and all those working in maternity, neonatal, and bereavement services
• Community health professionals
• Counsellors and therapists
• Police officers and faith leaders
• Employers and managers through our
  Bereavement in the Workplace programme

To drive improvements in maternity and neonatal safety Sands will ensure:

1.1 Maternity and neonatal care is continually improved using research and evidence, and should include the experiences and perspectives of bereaved parents, to inform policy and practice.

To do this we will ensure:

• The experiences and perspectives of bereaved parents are included in research, learning and improvement initiatives.
• An evidence base is built which supports improvement in maternity and neonatal care.
• Maternity and neonatal care benefits from increased numbers of new medicines and technologies, along with improved access and availability.
• Implementation Science is applied to this area.

1.2 All hospitals in the UK offer safe and personalised maternity and neonatal care

To do this we will ensure:

• Work to ensure that hospitals and healthcare professionals are supported with the right staffing, training, policies and resources to provide safe maternity and neonatal care.
• Support research that will further the development of evidence-based policies which in turn lead to safe and personalised care.

1.3 Inequalities in outcome in maternity
and neonatal care are eliminated

To do this we will:

• Campaign, influence and convene so that those at highest risk of pregnancy and baby loss receive appropriate and personalised maternity and neonatal care.
• Support the development of evidence-based interventions to address inequity.

1.4 Maternity and neonatal services have a culture which embraces and supports learning and improvement

To do this we will:

• Ensure Sands’ education and resources support and empower healthcare professionals to apply learning after the death of a baby.
• Challenge to drive improvements in culture.

To drive improvements in maternity and neonatal safety Sands will ensure:

3.1 Hospitals and those working in them have the skills, resources, and environment needed to provide excellent bereavement care

To do this we will:

• Work to implement the NBCP across the UK.
• Provide healthcare professionals working in hospitals with the education, training and resources that they need.

3.2 Those in contact with and caring for bereaved parents in settings outside hospital have the right knowledge, information, skills and connections to provide excellent, holistic and consistent care

To do this we will:

• Provide healthcare professionals working in the community, with the education, training and resources that they need.
• Link hospital, community and the Sands community to form a clear and supportive pathway for bereaved
  parents and families.

3.3 Specialist psychological mental health support can be easily accessed by bereaved parents

To do this we will:

• Campaign locally and nationally so that high-quality specialist mental health support for bereaved parents is available and accessible across the UK.

To build an inclusive and connected community Sands will ensure:

4.1 Sands community enhances and supports all our work, providing connection, insight and impact

To do this we will:

• Involve members of our community in all of our work and use the connections formed to strengthen our core aims.

4.2 Our network of local communities across the UK is accessible to all and provides a consistent and high-quality experience

To do this we will:

• Equip all local groups, teams, volunteers and supporters to deliver consistent, high-quality support and engagement, complemented by locally relevant activities.
• Support local groups, teams and volunteers to provide a range of support activities, and also to be involved with local events, campaigning and fundraising activities.

4.3 Volunteers are at the heart of all that we do and achieve; valued and supported to both receive what they need and to give what they would like to

To do this we will:

• Enable and support volunteers and supporters to be engaged in a range of ways that feel meaningful to them, and which represent the breadth of our work.

4.4 Everyone feels they can belong to Sands community, and that it is representative of all those touched by pregnancy and baby loss

To do this we will:

• Engage with all our supporters in a variety of ways
  to build a sense of authentic belonging.
• Seek to involve all those affected by pregnancy
  loss and baby death in appropriate and inclusive
  ways in all that we do.

To lead, collaborate and challenge to create change Sands will ensure:

5.1 The UK population is aware of the scale and impact of pregnancy loss and baby death, and is inspired to take action

To do this we will:

• Use every opportunity to proactively share information, stories and lived experience about pregnancy loss and baby death, raising awareness of their scale and impact and inspiring action.

5.2 We provide leadership in the sector ensuring key issues are prioritised appropriately

To do this we will work to:

• Unite the pregnancy and baby loss sector to share
  a common vision and drive lasting change.
• Be recognised as an authoritative, collaborative
  and trusted partner.
• Bring people and partners together to tackle complex issues, identify solutions, and mobilise action for
  lasting change.

5.3 Bereaved families are seen and heard and their voice is used to drive the improvements that are needed

To do this we will:

• Ensure that bereaved parents are involved in local
  decision-making about local care.
• Provide compassionate, responsive support, trusted
  insight, and direction for all who want to engage with
  the pregnancy and baby loss sector.

5.4 Employers are challenged to better support employees who are bereaved parents

To do this we will:

• Provide employers with the bereavement care training and resources that they need.

In order to strengthen our impact Sands will ensure we have:

6.1 A robust foundation that empowers our operations to be both effective and efficient

To do this we will have:

• The right data, insight and tools which are harnessed to empower our people, meet organisational needs, and drive meaningful change and impact.
• A people strategy that supports an inclusive
  and equitable culture.
• Clear, efficient and agile processes with supportive administration.
• Strong governance which underpins everything
  we do, ensuring accountability and transparency.

6.2 Sustainable income streams
which meet the organisation’s needs

To do this we will build:

• A compassionate community of changemakers whose individual giving provides sustainable income and helps drive lasting change.
• Strategic relationships with corporates, philanthropists, trusts & foundations that generate sustainable and transformational income, extend our influence, and amplify awareness of pregnancy and baby loss across society.
• Inclusive community fundraising, large-scale events, and innovative virtual challenges that inspire wide participation, strengthen supporter connection, and generate sustainable income.
• A strategically considered and sustainable funding mix, supported by centralised decision-making on pricing, commercial activity and marketing, ensuring efficiency, resilience and long-term growth.

6.3 Effective communication and connection with all, building awareness and inspiring action

To do this we will ensure:

• All target audiences understand who we are, our purpose, and are inspired to speak up and join our community of compassionate lifesaving changemakers.
• We are recognised and trusted as the UK’s leading voice on pregnancy and baby loss.
• A supported and connected volunteer community, empowered to speak up, save babies’ lives and improve bereavement care and support.
• We harness digital technology and innovative approaches to strengthen connections, expand our reach and support our community.

6.4 A person-centric and values-driven approach which underpins all that we do

To do this we will ensure:

• Our values and culture are lived through everything we do, shaping who we are and how we create change; they are embedded in daily practices, decision-making and leadership behaviours.
• Staff and volunteer wellbeing and organisational effectiveness go hand-in-hand, creating a supportive and high-performing Sands.
• EEDI is authentically embedded in all our work, shaping how we support, speak up and drive change.
• Sustainability is embedded across everything we do - reducing our environmental impact, making responsible choices and contributing to a healthier world for future generations.
• Our working environments nurture wellbeing and enable us to work together with compassion, collaboration and purpose.
• We are driven by the evidence.