The archie foundation supports new initiative to help siblings through bereavement

Forever Boxes is a new scheme designed to help children maintain a bond with their baby brother or sister while giving them a personal space to store memories.

The plain white boxes can be decorated by the children and include a cuddly elephant to remind youngsters that the animals never forget, paintable rocks and a book to help guide conversations about grief and remembrance.

The Fence Club has funded an initial supply of 10 boxes while Archie has also provided specialist training for nurses on how to support children through bereavement.

Similar schemes have been successful in other areas and the idea for the Tayside project came from Debbie-Jo Marsh, neonatal and maternity bereavement counsellor at Ninewells, her colleague Vikki Nicoll, bereavement support worker at Archie’s Child Bereavement Service in Tayside, and a group of neonatal nurses.

The maternity and neonatal bereavement counsellors support birth parents following the loss of a baby from 14 weeks gestation, whether through miscarriage, stillbirth, termination of pregnancy due to a foetal abnormality or a baby who dies during the neonatal period.

Debbie-Jo explained: “While families are provided with memory boxes following the devastating loss of a child, these are often sacred items that are stored away. The Forever Boxes have been designed to be decorated with stickers, paint and glitter and to be touched and used by children who can take ownership of them.

“Research shows that early intervention and validation of a child’s feelings during grief can have a positive impact as they grow up, so we recognised the opportunity to create a dedicated memory box for siblings. They will always be a big brother or sister even if the baby isn’t physically here with them,” she said.

“We’re so grateful for The Archie Foundation and The Fence Club’s support in driving this pilot and we look forward to seeing the positive impact of the initiative, which has already garnered interest from other health boards and charities.”

Paula Cormack, chief executive at The Archie Foundation, said: “The loss of a child is a traumatic experience for any family and for a child it can be confusing to understand. The Forever Boxes will help parents have an open, meaningful dialogue with children to explain loss and grief.

“The project is a brilliant addition to our Archie’s Child Bereavement Service, which offers tailored support to families and children affected by child loss, and we know there has been considerable interest from our colleagues working in child bereavement.”

Archie’s Child Bereavement Service supports children when they have suffered the loss of a loved one, whether that’s a parent, grandparent, sibling, friend or someone else close to the child.

The service helps youngsters to navigate and process their grief, offering a free book gifting service, one-to-one support and training and guidance to professionals.

ACBS has grown significantly in the last two years, doubling the number of children and families supported in the Tayside and Grampian regions through its network of dedicated bereavement co-ordinators.

Archie has helped children and families across the north of Scotland for 25 years, funding specialist roles and projects at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital and, more recently, at Highland Children’s Unit, Tayside Children’s Hospital and Dr Gray’s Hospital, Elgin.

For more details about the financial, emotional and practical support provided by The Archie Foundation, visit https://archie.org/

Information on Archie’s Child Bereavement Service can be found at https://archie.org/archie-child-bereavement-service/