for the daughters and families of absent mothers in London
for the daughters and families of absent mothers in London
My mum Rosalind was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 44 and I was 17. She went into remission and my family thought she was okay. Then the cancer came back and she died on my 19th birthday, when she was 46. My younger brothers were 9 and 12.
I am now 44, and am married with two sons. It’s been 25 years since my mum passed away and it has had an enormous effect on my life. I have been on a journey since she died – particularly since having my sons.
MY BIO
I am a child bereavement practitioner and a doula, supporting families during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.
I have always enjoyed working with and supporting families and children and have done so in various capacities for more than twenty years.
I initially trained as an Early Years teacher and worked in school nurseries and then in the nursery of a Children’s Centre in North London.
I then worked as a Family Support and Outreach Worker in the Children’s Centre. This role was very varied and each day was different. I ran groups for parents and babies/young children including Baby Massage, Sensory Baby, Rhyme Time and Stay and Play. I also provided outreach support to families from all walks of life, both in their own homes and at the Children’s Centre.
After taking maternity leave I ran Baby Massage and Messy Play sessions before becoming a doula. I also volunteered for the PANDAS (Pre and Postnatal Depression and Anxiety) Foundation helpline, supporting women and their families with pre and postnatal depression advice and support.
More recently, I’ve worked as a bereavement support practitioner at Child Bereavement UK and have supported families after they experienced baby loss or the loss of their child. I’ve also supported children after the loss of a parent or anyone important to them.
The older I get the more I’ve felt the loss of my mum and have found that I want to provide people with the support that I didn’t have when I was younger.
