In this blog, Vic, founder of Evelyn’s Elephants CIC shares vital advice for Employers on how to support bereaved parents, based on her own personal story of loss of her daughter Evelyn at 15 weeks old.

Vic’s blog shares insight about how it feels to return to work after baby loss, and how businesses can create a more psychologically safe space for bereaved parents. Specifically touching on stillbirth, neonatal death, and early infant death, much of the advice will be useful for supporting any bereaved parent, regardless of the age of their child when they passed.

“Where do you find the strength to deal with that?” 

You just do. My response whenever anyone asks about my strength is that you don’t realise how much you have until you need it. 

Vic, the founder of Evelyn’s Elephant CIC, shares her story of loss and the lasting impact and legacy of her daughter, Evelyn, who passed away when she was just 15 weeks old.  Vic shares the things she learned from Evelyn during her life and in the years following, and in this blog, passes on a message of love, strength and fulfilment to other parents who have experienced the loss of a child.

Much of what I’ve learned about supporting fertility journeys in the workplace is applicable to maternal mental health, with many of these experiences for employees involving difficult experiences in conception, pregnancy and post birth. These struggles are invisible in the workplace, hidden by taboo and stigma, lacking in awareness and education about the mental health impact and, importantly, how to provide support. Workplace culture is vital, these challenges can’t be addressed simply with a ‘tick-box’ policy. Change must come with engagement and robust education to inform and empower senior leaders.

The sacred month of Ramadan is the holiest month in Islam, a deeply spiritual and meaningful month for Muslims. Safura, Managing Director and Co-Founder of The Lantern Initiative explains how fasting during Ramadan affects Muslim parents at work and explains six simple, practical adjustments the workplace can make to help Muslim parents feel valued and acknowledged.