Source: Radio New Zealand
A charity that has been helping hundreds of families in Auckland grieve the loss of a baby is disappointed not to have been involved in the National Bereavement Care Pathway for Perinatal Loss.
Health New Zealand released the National Bereavement Care Pathway for Perinatal Loss, known as Tuituia te Kahu, on 2 April.
It outlined nine standards guiding how to support those who have lost a baby during pregnancy or within the first year after birth.
Every year in New Zealand, about 700 to 900 families experience perinatal loss, while an additional 13,000 to 15,000 are affected by miscarriage before 20 weeks.
Baby Loss New Zealand has provided support to almost 3000 of those since April 2008.
The charity was founded by Sarah Numan and began as a Sands New Zealand group in Manukau.
It is based at “Baby Loss House” in the South Auckland suburb of Papakura, serving Middlemore Hospital in Otāhuhu as well as Auckland City Hospital and Starship Children’s Hospital in Grafton.
Numan wanted to expand Baby Loss New Zealand beyond Auckland and had started providing care boxes to Rotorua Hospital, Whanganui Hospital, and Southland Hospital in Invercargill.
It had also begun working with funeral homes in Waikato as well as Canterbury.
Numan said a lack of funding had stopped Baby Loss New Zealand from being able to expand any further.
“I didn’t want people not getting something because of where they lived. It should not be a postcode lottery,” she said.
“Everything that we do is 100 percent free of charge, but we need to fundraise to cover the cost of everything.”
Numan welcomed Tuituia te Kahu, as it was what she had wanted for 18 years, but felt disappointed that Baby Loss New Zealand was not given the opportunity to be involved.
Baby Loss New Zealand’s ‘Tree of Hearts’. Supplied / Baby Loss New Zealand
While there was nothing that Numan could do now the report had been published, she wanted Health New Zealand to work with Baby Loss New Zealand on the “memory-making, bereavement, and grief support” standard.
“Let us be involved in that because it’s there already. Nothing needs to be created from scratch.”
In a statement, Health New Zealand’s Starting Well director Deborah Woodley said Tuituia te Kahu would not create a new service.
“It is a framework to strengthen and coordinate existing care,” she said. “Decisions about contracting and partnerships sit at the local and regional level and will reflect community needs and existing relationships.”
Woodley said Tuituia te Kahu was not a not a directory of individual services or providers.
“We value the work of Baby Loss New Zealand and we remain committed to working alongside community partners as the pathway is implemented locally.”
Woodley added that Tuituia te Kahu’s standards were designed to work together, and the pathway would continue to evolve, using feedback and lived experience to strengthen grief and bereavement support over time.
“Health New Zealand’s focus remains on ensuring that every whānau experiencing perinatal loss is met with compassion, dignity, and culturally safe care – regardless of where they live or who they encounter in the system.”
Numan met with 333 families in Auckland alone in 2025.
One of Baby Loss New Zealand’s care boxes. Supplied / Baby Loss New Zealand
The care boxes that Baby Loss New Zealand provide include a ‘Pēpe Ngaro’ resource guide, ‘Certificate of Life’, a split heart necklace, kit to make a hand or footprint, candle, ‘In Loving Memory’ card, plantable memorial card, keyring, ribbon pin, wristband, bookmark, tissues, ‘Special Memories’ booklet, memory box, and teddy bears.
It also has a memory-making service – with families coming to Baby Loss House around four to six weeks later to collect their memories – at that time families will also hang a butterfly on the ceiling and a wooden heart on a tree. It will then offer free ongoing counselling and peer support.
Numan and her husband wanted him to be able to leave his job to work for Baby Loss New Zealand on a full-time basis, “because this is our passion”.
“The capability is there. What’s missing, sadly, is the money.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
