Hansard

I do not think that anyone can adequately explain the joy that a parent or grandparent feels at the birth of a child, but one of the things that comes with that joy is the fear of what else might happen. I thank Gil Paterson for giving us the opportunity to record our appreciation for the work of the Scottish Cot Death Trust. That fear of what could happen overlays far too many families. David Stewart outlined very well the sheer human emotion of losing a child. He talked about the personal support that comes from so many, but also expressed the fear and horror of having to deal with a system while grieving for a child who was so eagerly anticipated.

From speaking to people who have had a sudden death in the family, I know that they often blame themselves somehow, and think that they did something that contributed to the death, particularly of an infant. They wonder whether they could have done something that would have prevented it. The work of the Scottish Cot Death Trust should and can help to assure people that these things happen, as members have said, and that they should not feel any guilt or remorse that they somehow contributed to what was an unexplained death.

The trust has done tremendous work on research and education. I remember that, when my children were born, we had all the debates about whether we should lie them on their front or put them on their back. It is good that we now have some kind of scientific basis for saying to parents how they should proceed. However, we should not underestimate the contribution that the trust makes in supporting bereaved families. The home-visiting service provides that bit of comfort and sympathy that can come from someone who knows a bit about what has happened, but who is not immediately attached to the family.

Counselling is often underestimated. We cannot know how people will react to an unexplained death and what they might do as a result but, too often, we leave people to their own devices to grieve and to mourn and to have to suffer the consequences without their having someone there to help them through a difficult period. The contributions of the trust’s befriending service, family days and next infant support programme are inestimable. We can imagine that a person who has just been through the trauma of losing a child and who has another one on the way will wonder whether it will happen again and whether the death happened because of something that they did.

The trust has done tremendous work to help to put the issues in context and, more important, to give that human and personal touch and support that can so often make the difference to bereaved families. It has been a tremendous record of achievement in 25 years. Whatever little we can do to support it should be taken as a given. I hope that the trust continues to develop. Although it is fantastic that the number of sudden unexplained deaths has reduced, each one that still happens is a tragedy for that family and leaves a family looking for support. I thank everyone who has done so much in the past 25 years.

17:30