News

Children’s Mental Health Week

Published 9th February 2022

This week is Children’s Mental Health Week. Having your baby brother or sister in hospital is such a difficult experience for siblings and can have a big impact. Some of our Committee Members have had younger siblings at home whilst their baby was in hospital and know how hard the situation can be, and sadly this has been made more so due to the pandemic and the necessary visiting restrictions on the baby units.

That’s one of the reasons we funded the book ‘My Very Little Sister and The Very Big Story’, so that copies can be available to parents to share the book with their other children. We are currently checking to make sure the units are fully stocked with enough copies available for everyone who might find it helpful. The book was written by big sister Alina, when she was 4, to help families of premature and sick babies. The book is written from her perspective of when her baby sister was in hospital to reassure siblings and families going through similar experiences that they are not alone. You can find out more here https://www.brettbooks.co.uk/ 📖

We also like to make sure siblings are thought of and included at special times of year, such as Easter and Christmas by purchasing gifts for them, and by supplying toys, craft materials and other books for the units etc.💞

We also have a list of other organisations that might be able to help and support sibings on our website https://www.earlybirth.co.uk/sources-of-support-and-help/.💛