Passed in Senate, Leave for Loss gives miscarriage its rightful recognition

Today is a momentous day for our community.

For too long, women and families have had to suffer in silence when it comes to the devastation of early pregnancy loss and miscarriage. Enduring platitudes such as, “at least it happened early,” or “that’s just nature’s way,” even from the most well-meaning of friends and family, can, unfortunately, diminish our right to deeply feel and grieve our loss.

For too long, we have chewed into our sick leave or annual leave to hide our miscarriages from workplaces and bosses, feeling it’s too early, or too personal an issue to divulge the truth.?

For too long, conversations about miscarriage have happened secretly, or not at all.

Today, we stand proudly as this week Federal Parliament debated a historic bill, which will take miscarriage out of the shadows, and rightly validates our losses as bereavement.

Yesterday, the senate passed legislation to add miscarriage to the compassionate and bereavement leave entitlement in the Fair Work Act.?

Two days of paid leave will be provided to those who miscarry before 20 weeks.

We call it — Leave for Loss.

It’s not the destination, it’s the journey

I started Pink Elephants after experiencing my own pregnancy losses, when I realised there was a gap in emotional support and resources for couples experiencing miscarriage.

Pink Elephants seeks to normalise pregnancy loss for the world, so no one has to experience it alone. We want to eliminate the false narratives, cultural taboos, and silence so often associated with miscarriage.

The passing of the Leave for Loss bill is a culmination of more than five years of lobbying, policymaking, grants applications, research, and building of digital-first support communities and resources, to ensure we can help families no matter where they’re located.

We celebrate with pride the achievement of what’s unfolded today. But we also want to call attention to the fact that we’ve come this far without any government funding.

• We've supported 37,500 individuals accessing specialised support content around miscarriage via our website Jan - July 2021
• We support, nurture and empower over 7500 women in our online peer support communities every day. The only dedicated support spaces specific to miscarriage, trying to conceive again after loss, and pregnancy after loss.
• We facilitated 399 live chats with a one on one peer support companion between Sept 2020 and July 2021
• Our Workplace program reaches over 140,000 employees combined with organisations such as Westpac, Minter Ellison, PWC, Zip, QBE to name a few.

These are outputs, incredible numbers that I am incredibly PROUD to have reached but behind every one of these numbers is a real person with a story to tell of their experience of loss and heartbreak. Our specialised miscarriage early intervention programs achieve incredible outcomes which we measure against our theory of change, we empower women and reduce the likelihood of poor mental health outcomes such as crippling anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. But we can not continue to prop up this gap in our health care system and we are calling today publicly for support from the government to do this.

We can no longer turn a blind eye to the psychological morbidity of women and their partners who experience the very real trauma of losing their baby to miscarriage and early pregnancy loss. We've changed federal legislation, created the support services, evidence-based them, peer-reviewed them, built incredible support from workplaces and the private sector. The missing part of this social impact story is GOVERNMENT FUNDING and them working with us to address this huge gap in support in Australia.

“I believe supporting legislative change is only the first step — the government must now put their money where their mouth is, literally — and start funding the vital services that provide specialised early intervention and support to those suffering miscarriage.”

We couldn’t have done it without the love of community

Though sometimes it feels like I’m stretched in a million different directions, at the end of the day, I’m only one person. I’m confident I wouldn’t be celebrating today’s milestone without the marvellous community that has supported Pink Elephants over the years.

• To all our skilled volunteers and partners, particularly Genea Fertility, Minter Ellison, PWC Social Impact team, Tanara Foundation, Dandolo Partners, who have helped us to build a strong evidence base case for support
• To all those corporations who have participated in the Fertility in the Workplace program, to help their employees break the outdated taboo that we shouldn’t talk to each other about miscarriage. These include PwC, Minter Ellison, TabCorp, QBE, Zip and Westpac
• Julian Simmonds MP for all of your incredible support, and to Christian Porter MP and the Hon Michaelia Cash for meeting with us and hearing our case

• Senator Hollie Hughes for her incredibly moving speech to the Senate addressing this amendment to the Fairwork Act today.
• Jacqueline Grant and Veronica Van De Reede listened to my crazy idea to change Fairwork Act and supported me with research and putting our first case for support together. For believing in me.
• All the journalists and media outlets who have shone a light on our cause over the years
• Our pro bono skilled supporters at Dandolo Partners, Tanara Foundation and PWC?
• Our dedicated board and inspiring team of both workers and volunteers — without you, none of this would be possible
• The Pink Elephants team who work on our shared mission every day alongside me
• Our generous donors - If you're inspired and would like to join our 'Inner Circle' of dedicated donors please reach out via contact@pinkelephantssupport.

Together we have made legislative change, together we have validated the experience of miscarriage and early pregnancy loss forevermore in Australia. Together we RIGHT the story of early pregnancy loss. Thank you for being part of our community.

And finally, I thank each and every woman and family who was brave enough to reach out and ask for support. Through downloading a resource, participating in a community chat, or asking a question about how best to help a loved one through their grief, you have made Pink Elephants into a network supporting thousands of families each day.?

Each time someone shares their story, they make another family feel less alone. You smash the taboo of talking about miscarriage. You give yourself the space to heal that you deserve.?

Our work is not yet done — we continue to support you and fight for your recognition.

For support, or to learn more, please visit: www.pinkelephants.org.au