Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve care for families after (a) pregnancy loss and (b) the death of a baby.

The Government is committed to delivering compassionate care for women, and supporting parents who have experienced any type of baby loss. Many trusts have specialist bereavement midwives, who are trained to care for and support parents and families who have suffered the loss of their baby. All trusts are signed up to The National Bereavement Care Pathway, which acts as a set of standards and guidance that trusts should follow when a patient has suffered a baby loss. Baby Loss Certificates are now available for all historic and future pregnancy losses, should parents wish to record and receive a certificate to recognise their loss.

Paid Parental Bereavement Leave was introduced in 2020. This entitlement is available to parents who lose a child under 18 years old, including where a baby is stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Following the death of a baby, there are a number of different investigation and review routes available depending on the age of the baby and the circumstances surrounding the death. These include the Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations Programme, the Perinatal Mortality Review tool, and the Child Death Review process. These reviews aim to provide answers for bereaved parents about why their baby died and learning for the healthcare system.