General Support Meetings

All meetings are open to any family who has suffered the death of a baby or child from conception onwards, regardless of the cause.  A loss is a loss regardless of when it happened or the circumstances surrounding that loss.  For further information please call the office and speak to one of our counsellors.

Metropolitan - North of the River: 

Meetings are no longer held North of the River due to lack of attendance.

Metropolitan - South of the River:

Held on the third Wednesday of every month at the SIDS and Kids office, 33 Sixth Avenue, Kensington, from 10:00 am to 12 noon.

Next meeting:                    

Wednesday                      19 September 2007     

Wednesday                      17 October 2007                     

Wednesday                      21 November 2007                   

Wednesday                      19 December 2007                  

Men's Grief Group

"Men Grieving Well" is an opportunity for men to share and explore their personal issues, family and relationship processes, and other situations after experiencing the loss of a child. Fathers, grandfathers, brothers, uncles, friends, partners are all welcome. The group is for all men over 16 who seek a greater understanding of themselves and those that they care for in times of grief. The topics handled in any meeting are defined by the needs of members, and are tackled from sharing and exploring issues together. Members can join the group at any time to support their journey through grieving and recovery, or to build an understanding to support others.

Groups are facilitated by Geoff Paull (Counsellor), and are held on the second Monday of every month at SIDS and Kids, 33 Sixth Ave, Kensington, from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm. For further information and to register your interest, please call Geoff on 9474 3544.

Next meeting:

Monday                    10th September 2007

Monday                    8th October 2007

Monday                    12th November 2007

Monday                    10th December 2007

Craft/Coffee/Chocolate Morning

Come along and join in on these special mornings, which are a combination of a social cuppa and an opportunity to do some craft. Emphasis is on "opportunity" as there are often days when there is absolutely no craft done at all. It completely depends on you as to whether you bring along something you may be working on, or whether you come along purely for a cuppa, chocolate and a chat. Most importantly, it is a chance to be in the company of parents who have experienced the loss of a baby or child, and it gives everyone the opportunity to relax and feel safe with people who understand.

Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of every month from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. For more information please ring Jo on 9474 3544.

Next meeting:

Wednesday           26th September 2007

Wednesday           31st October 2007

Wednesday           28th November 2007

* There will be no craft/coffee/chocolate morning in December 2007 **

Healing Memories

This is a special opportunity for all parents who would like to create a Healing Album in memory of their baby or child.  This is way for you to preserve your precious photos and mementos in a special album which is completely acid free, so there is no yellowing or deterioration of your photos.

Not only can the creation of an album be an extremely healing part of the grief process, it is also a beautiful way in which to introduce your baby to other family members and siblings. Every healing memories book will be different, and what is important is not how creative or neat it is, but the preservation of your memories for the future.

The workshops will be conducted on the following days:

Tuesday                11th September 2007

Tuesday                16th October 2007

Tuesday                13th November 2007

Tuesday                11th December 2007

It is important to RSVP the week before each workshop so we can cater for numbers and let you know the venue, so please don't be disappointed and book your spot now. All classes run from 9:30am to 12:30pm. The cost is $10.00 for the materials used on the day.

Please call Jo at the office on 9474 3544 for further information.

Just For Kids

Children's groups are available from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. by appointment, with Judi Nolte (Counsellor), on the following dates:

Monday                   3rd September 2007  **Last group for 2007**

Children in age groups 5-6, 7-9, and 10-12 years are catered for.  Please call Judi at the office on 9474 3544 for more information, or to make an appointment for your child.