Jersey baby loss charity Philip's Footprints has joined calls in the UK to introduce statutory bereavement leave for women and their partners who suffer a miscarriage.

Jo Nash, who founded the island charity which supports people grieving from the very earliest of baby losses through to those in later pregnancy, wants to see this introduced in Jersey.

This would involve parental bereavement leave, which is currently set at two weeks' unpaid, being extended to parents that have lost their babies at less than 24 weeks into pregnancy.

The charity founder tells Channel 103: "I would love to see the date reduced from the 24 weeks that it is currently. When you go through a miscarriage or any type of early loss - whether that's ectopic or molar pregnancy -  it is a very distressing experience. 

"It's bleeding, it's pain, it's interventions, and that takes time to recover from. You've also got that psychological impact. 

"Some people might just be able to accept it, but there's some people that find it very traumatic , and there is no sliding scale for grief when you're pregnant."

Jo Nash, credit: Philip's Footprints

This call comes after a group of UK MPs have been making the case there for a statutory miscarriage bereavement leave. 

A new report by the Women and Equalities Committee said that a period of paid leave 'should be available to all women and partners who experience a pre-24-week pregnancy loss' and 'the case for a minimum standard in law is overwhelming'. 

Labour MP and Committee Chair Sarah Owen is calling on ministers to include bereavement leave in new employment laws. She wants to see a law-based acknowledgement of the grief many women and their partners feel after a per-24-week pregnancy loss. 

Jo Nash agrees with the sentiment:

"The one thing that makes a difference to people is to have that loss acknowledged. For people to say 'we understand this is important to you', and giving people that bit of support, it gives people a better experience. 

"People go to scans because they've been bleeding and then they go back to work, because they haven't told anyone they're pregnant. So they're going through all these things alone, without any support and not quite knowing where to go.

"To change that, and have people recognise it, would be absolutely amazing because there is still a big taboo, particularly around an early loss."

MP Sarah Owen, credit: UK Parliament

Jo hopes Jersey can follow the UK's suggestion: 

"I always thought when we got the parental bereavement leave in, from my perspective it was great that that was in, but it was a foot in the door and we can do better.

"This is the start isn't it? Because we'll never do it on our own, but with the UK forming a path for us, it would be great to think we could get this done here as well."

Deputy Lyndsay Feltham, Social Security Minister

Minister for Social Security, Deputy Lyndsay Feltham, says there are no currently plans to extend the existing provision. A statement reads: 

“Statutory paid parental bereavement leave, which includes stillbirth from 24 weeks, is now part of Jersey’s Employment law.

“I recognise the recent findings of the UK Parliament’s Women and Equalities Committee calling for the upcoming UK Employment Rights Bill to extend this to pre-24-week pregnancy loss.

"We want to support women who have experienced this difficult loss where possible and extending this leave in Jersey will be kept under review by the Women’s Health Advisory Group.

"Whilst there are no current plans to introduce statutory measures in Jersey, I would encourage employers to consider introducing this type of provision into their workplace policies.”