The Snowdrop Team
Our experienced, specialist Snowdrop Team provide a 24 hour, 365 days a year response service to families whose child dies at, or is brought to, Alder Hey following their death. One of our Bereavement Care Workers will be available to support the family within an hour of a child’s death and in the weeks following.
We work to provide practical and emotional support to families at an extremely distressing time. We empower families to make their own choices whilst remaining sensitive to their individual needs, culture and religion and their individual situation immediately after the child has died. Our Snowdrop Team act as an advocate for families, ensuring sensitive continuity of support in the weeks following their loss.
We have two bereavement suites for families to spend time with their child in the days following their death. Our bereavement care workers will help to create mementos to be treasured if their family wish. They are also experienced in supporting siblings and other children affected by a child’s death.
The team are able to liaise with medical and nursing staff, other health care professionals, police, coroners, and Funeral Directors as appropriate and can provide practical and emotional support and debriefs where appropriate. The Snowdrop Team are also able to signpost to other organisations for help and support where needed.
Other ways the Snowdrop Team support families
- Practical and emotional support when a child’s family comes to Alder Hey for a post-mortem
- Liaising with the Coroners Officers, registrars, police, funeral directors or safeguarding team
- Preparing paperwork and supporting a family when they take their child to their appointed funeral director or hospice
- Arrange visits and support families during visits to the bereavement suites
- Complete mementos
- Whatever a family may need in the immediate hours and days following a child’s death, The Snowdrop Team can help