ian woodroffe

A part-time(one weekend a month) course is run in Cambridge UK to train in bereavement counselling. The course is credit rated by the University of Greewich to degree level ( Unit Two) Interested parties will find all the information required on www.goldtraining.co.uk The website is about to undergo a redesign to reflect the training opportunites for 2009. Enquires can be directed to me using the email address that appears on the website.

There is enough research evidence to show that parents feel outsiders in NICU and yet it is there baby. Bonding may have (and indeed probably has) been seriously disrupted and in some cases trauma responses cause Mothers not even to recognise that the baby is theirs. Any encouragement that can be give for closer connections for attachment and to empower deskilled mothers would be very important for Units to consider. That encouragement may be being present on the ward round and being given tasks that have been specifically planned to enable attachment and bonding. Ian Woodroffe NICU Adddenbrookes Cambridge UK

I am on the search for colouring material for siblings based on the equipment in the NICU. I am wishing to produce post-card sized material so that thw sibling contribution can be stuck on the incubator-anyone knbow of any such material that is available? Thanks Ian woodroffe Psychological support NICU Addenbrookes Cambridge UK

Hi Spacey I was in the middle of a lengthy reply to you and lost it so I am unsure whether you had any of the message. In Cambridge we accept well siblings after lots of hand washing- on entry into the Unit and again on entry into the 6 bedded room where the baby may be. I think your idea of guided visits is fantastic -we hope to aim for the same but we would have to involve volunteers as we do not have the staff recourses to manage. i am thoughtful about gowning. We do not ask others to so the same and would the sibling be left feeling that they are a special carrier of something aweful? If the baby died we would need to remember that children can engage in magical thinking and often feel responsible for the death- would you be feeding into that by gowning and masking on visits? Is there any evidence that MRSA or RSV frequency is increased after sibling visits? I think it would be an area of concern but without some evidence that siblings do make things worse the sibling could be the focus of unreasonable fear. I think there is much to be done on supporting sibling visits and we are looking at the possibility of sibling learning sessions before vistis. Just some early morning thoughts on your enquiry-I would love toknow how it develops for you. With every best wish Ian Woodroffe

Great to have some responses to this subject and thanks to the forum team for opening up the subject. My work here in Cambridge is trying to pioneer support for parents. There is not much done in the Uk and even less written as research. It seems to me that all parents coming onto a NIC will be struggling with multiple losses that will cause them psychological pain and may even interupt their bonding with their baby. We do have posts in the Uk that look at post-death bereavement support but not before any death. I find it amazing that so little is done in this important area. Good to hear of the initiatives in Poland and it would be good to see if that work has been written up. I am happy to respond to individuals in more detail Best wishes Ian Woodroffe

Dear Stefan Thank you for all that you do to keep things going-very impressive. as one who is wholly involved in the psychological support of parents in NICU it would be good to know what other psychological support is offered in NICUs. Most of the info on the site is medical maybe there could be some section/encouragement for the other important parts of the MDT to be involved with sharing/discussion. There must be some great work out there that could be shared and encouraged. With best wishes Ian

I work providing psychological support for parents on a level 3 Unit. I am interested in working with parents on the multiple grief that being on a Unit presents. I would be interested to hear of any co-ordinated pragrammes that are attending to these issues in any way. Best wishes Ian Woodroffe Psychological support Addenbrookes Hospital Cambridge University Foundation Trust Cambridge UK