Supporting Families Through Loss: University Hospital Galway Introduces Multilingual Information Leaflet for Bereaved Parents

University Hospital Galway (UHG) has introduced a new multilingual information leaflet to provide practical guidance and support to bereaved parents in the immediate aftermath of the death of their child.

The initiative aims to ensure families have access to clear, compassionate, accessible and practical information at an extremely difficult time. The leaflet includes key contact details, practical guidance, and information on the steps that may need to be taken following the death of a child.

The new resource has been developed to complement the existing bereavement booklet provided to all bereaved families. While the bereavement booklet offers comprehensive information and support for families as they move through the different stages of bereavement, the new leaflet is specifically designed to provide essential practical information in the immediate aftermath of a child’s death.

Funding from the Irish Hospice Foundation and the Patient Comfort Fund at University Hospital Galway has supported the development and introduction of the multilingual leaflets, helping to ensure families have access to important information in a range of languages.

Karen Leonard, Assistant Director of Nursing, Children’s Services, Galway University Hospitals said, “The death of a child is an incredibly distressing experience for any family. At such a difficult time, it is particularly important that families receive clear, compassionate and timely information in a way that they can understand.

“Complementing the comprehensive bereavement booklet already available to families, this resource helps ensure that all parents have access to the information and support they need at a time when they need it most.”

Alice Anderson, Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme Manager, Irish Hospice Foundation said, “At Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF), we know that compassionate end-of-life care includes ensuring that people receive information and support in a way that is accessible and understandable to them. We were delighted to support the development of this resource through the Hospice Friendly Hospitals Quality Improvement Awards, which aim to foster innovative local projects that improve experiences of dying, death and bereavement.

“Healthcare professionals are delivering compassionate care every day and continually seeking ways to enhance their services and do more for patients and families. These multilingual information leaflets for bereaved parents are an excellent example of a focused, locally driven initiative that responds directly to an identified need. By making vital information more accessible to families facing the devastating loss of a child, this project has the potential to provide meaningful support at an extraordinarily difficult time, and we at IHF are pleased to have been part of its development.”