Member's statement: Baby Loss Awareness Week
Member's statement by Mr Harry Harvey on .
- MLA
- Mr Harry Harvey
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 13 October 2026
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Baby Loss Awareness Week
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5789409
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Today, I mark Baby Loss Awareness Week 2026, which takes place from 9 October to 15 October, by remembering the many babies whose lives were tragically cut short and standing alongside the families who continue to carry their loss. Baby loss affects far more people than we may realise.
We all know someone who has been affected by baby loss, whether that is a family member, a friend, a colleague, a neighbour or a constituent. Despite how common it is, the grief that follows pregnancy and baby loss is often experienced in silence. For parents, the experience of losing a baby does not simply disappear with time but can remain with them throughout their lives. Anniversaries of due dates and other milestones can bring those emotions back with enormous force. That is why awareness matters. Baby Loss Awareness Week provides an opportunity for us to remember, to listen and to ensure that families know that they are not alone. It also gives us an opportunity to recognise the incredible work of charities, healthcare professionals, bereavement services and support groups that walk alongside families during some of the most difficult moments imaginable. In Northern Ireland, we have seen important progress on recognising the experiences of bereaved families, including through the introduction of baby loss certificates. As elected representatives, we have a responsibility to listen to those families, to understand their experiences and to continue to support improvements in care, recognition and bereavement services. The Wave of Light event will happen on 15 October at 7.00 pm. I encourage everyone across Northern Ireland to light a candle at 7.00 pm on 15 October in memory of every baby who died too soon. By doing so, we will join families and communities across the world in creating a wave of light — a simple but powerful symbol of remembrance, love and solidarity. For some, that candle will represent a baby they held in their arms; for others, it will represent a baby they never had the opportunity to meet; for many, it will represent a child who will always be part of their family. Whatever the circumstances, every loss matters, every baby is remembered and every family deserves compassion and support. This Baby Loss Awareness Week, let us continue to break the silence, remember the babies we have lost —
— support those who are grieving and remind every bereaved parent that they are not alone. Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker.
409 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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