Our Impact

Since Elliot's Footprint was founded in 2014 we have had incredible support from hundreds of dedicated volunteers and fundraisers who together have helped us achieve many milestones during our first 10 years. Together our fundraisers have run, walked, cycled and swum more than a combined distance of 2,500 miles, that's further than Leeds to The North Pole! Without them and our other incredible and imaginative fundraisers we would not been able to provide the impacts listed on this page.

For more information on any of these services please get in touch on our contact page here

Bereavement Support Worker

With the money raised by fundraisers we have been able to enter into a partnership with Child Bereavement UK and together we employ a bereavement support worker to help parents, siblings and carers in West Yorkshire following the death of a child where the death has been sudden and unexpected/unexplained (SUDIC). You can read more about the role of our bereavement support worker, Nicola, here.

The support set up by Elliot's Footprint has just been a godsend as I felt so alone, you don’t expect your baby to die and then to be left to sit in your house all on your own to figure out how to survive. Elliot's Footprint has helped me have someone to talk to.

Thank you for being there to listen, I’m devastated and beyond hope so I am concentrating on my little girl and making sure she is ok, she keeps asking where her little sister is, the help from Elliot's Footprint means I will keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Schools Training

We have worked in partnership with Child Bereavement UK and Leeds City Council Healthy Schools to train over 250 school staff, from over 100 primary, secondary and special needs schools across Leeds including, teachers, head teachers, teaching assistants and pastoral care staff.

Thank you so much for giving me the tools to talk to our school staff about how to support our pupils, it has really helped open up the conversation.

I never thought I would know what to do, wanted to tell you that after I went on your training, I have worked with 4 children who have experienced major bereavement in our School and I can’t tell you how much I learnt and the value your training has given me and in turn has meant I can help the children and their families.

Thank you for giving me the confidence to know I can do this and not be afraid to keep the door open for anyone who needs a chat, I am suggesting all my senior leadership team do this training.

Work With Hospitals

We have worked with NHS Leeds to support families following the death of a child including;

providing a new bereavement support room for families to use,
new helpful and supportive leaflets
training sessions with the SWAN End of Life Bereavement Care Team in Manchester, highlighting the importance of involving and talking to families when their child dies.

Work With Police

We have worked with West Yorkshire Police to develop a training video that shared our experience and it's the impact and how they can engage with bereaved families to make a difference and support families who have lost a child suddenly.

We have done 2 training sessions on the CID training programme. We talked about how their first contact with a family after the sudden death of a child can make all the difference.

Thank you, I just didn’t realise that it was the small things that could make such a huge difference. I will rethink my approach.

Lobbying Central and Local Government

Alongside other charities we were successful in persuading Leeds City Council to scrap child burial fees.

We also lobbied for the new law which gives a minimum 2 weeks unpaid leave to bereaved parents.