Chelmsford Partners

Aching Arms is a national charity based in Brentwood that provides comfort and support for bereaved families after the loss of their baby during pregnancy, at birth or soon after.  We work directly with midwives and nurses at over 170 hospitals nationwide, who, on our behalf, offer an Aching Arms Bear to parents in their care. We also donate comfort bears to other organisations who support families after baby loss at any stage of pregnancy and send them to families who contact us themselves via our website.

The bear provides a sensitive conduit for health professionals to support and discuss the emotional and well-being needs of parents, particularly in the turbulent days following their baby’s death.

Each Aching Arms bear is given as a gift from one bereaved family to another, to let the parents know that they are not alone, and each beautiful bear wears a personalised, handwritten label with the name of the baby in whose memory the bear was dedicated. The label also signposts parents to our website, where they will find support and information.

Our support is not limited to the giving of our comfort bears, we have several ways in which we help parents and families, including:

SUPPORTING ARMS SERVICE

Run by bereaved parents, our Supporting Arms service offers parents the opportunity to talk to someone who has an understanding of what they’re going through. Families can access support by telephone, text or email on 07464 508994 or support@achingarms.co.uk

SUPPORTING ARMS FOR DADS

We host a monthly online group specifically for Dads to share and discuss their particular experiences. Please see our website for full details.

VIRTUAL CARE SERVICE

Our Virtual Care service gives parents the chance to book a video support call with our Bereavement Care Manager. Booking is available on the link on our website.

BE TOGETHER PROGRAMME

The Be Together Programme is a range of community events that bring bereaved parents, siblings and families together. Please see our website for full details.

Mental Health Wellbeing and Recovery Programme.

Please contact for additional details.

BOSP supports children and young adults with complex disabilities or life-limiting conditions, and their families, by providing high-quality, fun, educational activities, respite, peer support and counselling.

Brave Parents provides self care opportunities to parents who have children with complex medical needs*.

We recognise that many of these parents forget to care for themselves. They work so hard to keep their child well that their own needs always come second.

However, over time this can have an affect on the mental health of the caregivers and whole family unit.

We create opportunities for Parent Carers to have some well needed ‘you’ time to support their mental health and well-being.

From pamper ‘… for you’ and Hospital Boxes to in person events and local meets, we hope to encourage self care and highlight that it is essential, especially through hard times.

*’Complex medical needs’ refers to children who have been diagnosed by a medical professional, with an illness, disability or sensory impairment (sight and/or hearing impairment) that requires substantial daily support from a Parent Carer.

Brave Parents - Registered Charity No. 1204544

The loss of a baby is a devastating experience and one that can bring a range of thoughts, feelings, and responses that can feel confusing, bewildering, and isolating. By Your Side is a maternal mental health service provided by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, in collaboration with midwifery colleagues, which offers therapeutic care and grief therapy for people who were pregnant and have experienced a perinatal loss. Our team aims to help people with their loss, being by your side during a devastating time.

Service Information

By Your Side works with people who were pregnant and are experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties as a result of perinatal loss, including;
Miscarriage (including recurrent/multiple miscarriages)
Stillbirth
Termination
Neonatal death

Unfortunately, we do not currently accept self-referrals so please ask a health or social care professional (such as your GP) to submit a referral on your behalf. You must be over the age of 18, registered with a GP in Essex, and your loss must have occurred within the last year.

CARA (Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse) works with victims and survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse, providing independent, specialist support and promoting and representing their rights and needs.

CARA works with adults, young people and children of all genders from across Mid and North Essex and Uttlesford. We work from premises in Braintree, Chelmsford, Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester, Great Dunmow, Halstead and Harwich.

Carers FIRST has been commissioned by Essex County Council to deliver carer support across Essex to unpaid carers ages 18 plus and we have a Carer Support Advisor specifically for the Brentwood area.

At Carers FIRST, we understand that caring can be hard, but believe getting the right help ahouldn't be. We work directly with and for unpaid carers to provide personalised information, advice and support; making it easier for them to continue living their lives to the fullest. We currently run online carer wellbeing groups and activities, but look forward getting back to community based events too.

One carer's recent comment "The fact that I am listened to helps boost my confidence - Carer's FIRST has given me a voice for which i am grateful".

People come to Chelmsford Counselling Foundation (CCF) for many reasons - for example as a result of depression, anxiety, loneliness; difficulty in facing life's circumstances or relationship difficulties. 

For some, memories about the past, painful events in the present, or worries about the future, may mean that they cannot enjoy life, or live it in the way they would wish. 

CCF provides Psychodynamic Counselling, which can help you to understand how past experiences and current behaviour may be linked. 

It allows space to explore thoughts and feelings about yourself as an individual and in relationships with others, with someone trained to listen in a non-directive way. 

All of our counsellors have been trained by us and are all registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Circle adult bereavement support is a community service that any adult (18+) can access who has experienced the bereavement of someone significant. 

We offer a range of support including: counselling, 1to1 support, telephone support, information and advice and a variety of group activities. 

You can refer yourself or with the help of a professional e.g. GP. 

We are based at Farleigh Hospice in Chelmsford but also cover the Braintree and Maldon districts.

Our services are free of charge.

Citizens Advice Chelmsford offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice and information on a wide range of subjects. Our generalist advisers are trained to offer help in benefits, housing, consumer, employment and family matters, and if we can't help you we'll do our best to find someone who can.

In money matters we can help you to manage your debts or to budget so that you don't get into debt. Our Help to Claim team gives support to clients moving on to Universal Credit.

If you need legal advice, we may be able refer you to Chelmsford Law Clinic for a free 30 minute session with a solicitor, depending on the category of law.