Care After Death
Our care does not stop when a child dies.
Our Butterfly Suite gives families the opportunity to spend time with their child, after their death whilst staying close by in dedicated accommodation. We do all we can to ensure our Butterfly Suite is a safe, calming and non-clinical space for a child to stay.
We also offer this support to families of children who were not known to Noah’s Ark during their life.
We can also care for stillborn babies born after 24 weeks of pregnancy. If a baby is stillborn following a diagnosis during pregnancy (‘foetal anomaly’), we may be able to offer care earlier than 24 weeks. In these circumstances we would ask the parent or referrer to call us to have a discussion with a Noah’s Ark nurse in advance.
About our Care After Death Support
Watch this short film to find out how we can support a family to spend time with their child after they have died.
Our Bereavement Accommodation
Our Butterfly Suite at The Ark is home to two children’s bereavement bedrooms plus family accommodation and a private ambulance bay.
With our trained team on hand to support you we can offer:
- Two children’s bereavement bedrooms with cold blankets and cuddle cots. We adapt and personalise the bedrooms to make the space feel as homely as possible.
- Designated family accommodation so you can stay close to your child, to visit and care for them after their death.
- Family support, including advice and support with registering the death, arranging the funeral, and sourcing funding.
- Bereavement support for the whole family, including creative therapies and one-to-one emotional support.
- Opportunities to create keepsakes and complete memory work and crafts. Find out more about Memory making.
- Sibling support from our Specialist Play and Family Activities teams.
