Report of the Infant Cremation Commission

Annex R - Children's Memorials in Scotland

Current Children's Memorials in Scotland by Health Board Area.

NHS Dumfries & Galloway

Memorial Services

• Annual baby and children memorial service in collaboration with local SANDS group held in Crichton Church, Dumfries.
• Parents are invited to attend hospital arranged collective burial services.

Permanent Hospital Memorials

• Memorial books in the Cresswell Maternity Wing, parents can have a page with a poem or other inscription dedicated to their baby. This has been available since 1994. There is also a "memorial tree" on which "leaves" with baby names are hung. Both are maintained with support from SANDS.

Cemetery and Crematorium Memorial Gardens

• St Michaels Cemetery collective burial area
  • bronze sculpture of a sleeping baby
  • cairn where parents can have an inscription inserted.
• Kirkcudbright cemetery
  • commemorative sculpture
• Memorials in cemeteries all donated by SANDS
• Roucan Loch Crematorium
  • An area for neo-natal death memorials is being developed

NHS Fife

Memorial Services

• Annual baby and children memorial service, these will now be held in "The Haven" a new 'Sacred Space' within the hospital site.
• Parents are able to attend a service of remembrance prior to cremation
• An annual Christmas memorial service is also arranged by SANDS Fife and is supported by the Health Board.

Permanent Hospital Memorials

• Discussions are underway to create a "memorial tree" in hospital grounds

Cemetery and Crematorium Memorial Gardens

• Each of the main cemeteries in Fife have a dedicated "Baby memorial Garden". Each garden contains a large memorial stone which was provided by, and are maintained by, Fife SANDS and Fife Council.
• Both crematorium have a dedicated "Baby memorial Garden". The main crematorium in Kirkcaldy contains memorial stones which were provided by, and are maintained by, Fife SANDS and Fife Council.

NHS Forth Valley

Memorial Services

• Annual baby and children memorial service organised by the local SANDS group held in the local Church.

NHS Grampian

Memorial Services

• Quarterly memorial services for early pregnancy losses, held in Aberdeen crematorium.
• Annual Candle Service for Children who have died in Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital /Neo Natal ward of Aberdeen Maternity Service, held in a local church.
• Two Annual Memorial Services, held on the same day , in partnership with Local Sands organisation , for all pregnancy losses. These are held in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
• An annual baby loss service is organised by SANDS and held in Hazelhead park.

Permanent Hospital Memorials

• Memorial books are provided and maintained by the Chapel of Maternity and Children's Hospitals.

Cemetery and Crematorium Memorial Gardens

• Both local cemeteries and local crematoria have a designated children's memorial garden

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Memorial Services

• Annual services for babies held across three hospital locations - Royal Alexandria Hospital, Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Vale of Leven
• Monthly Remembrance Service for babies and children at Royal Hospital for Sick Children Yorkhill
• Annual Remembrance Service for babies and children at Royal Hospital for Sick Children Yorkhill
• Annual service for babies and children Schiehallion Ward (paediatric oncology)
• Bi-annual SANDS service supported by hospital chaplains.

Permanent Hospital Memorials

• Trees planted at Royal Hospital for Sick Children Yorkhill

Cemetery and Crematorium Memorial Gardens

• Hawkhead Cemetery and Greenock cemetery both have children's memorial gardens
• St Ketigern's, Glasgow Necropolis and Eastwood cemeteries have memorials ranging from stone monuments to benched areas.
• Craigton Cemetery and Crematorium has a babies Garden of Remembrance
• Linn Cemetery has a babies Garden of Remembrance
• Linn Crematoria also has a designated SANDS memorial garden

NHS Highland

Memorial Services

• Annual baby and children memorial service
• Local SIMBA group holds regular events

Permanent Memorials

• SIMBA memorial tree

Cemetery and Crematorium Memorial Gardens

• The local crematorium has a baby and children's garden located outside the crematorium

NHS Lanarkshire

Memorial Services

• Annual baby and children memorial service organised with support from the local SANDS group held in the hospital sanctuary.
• NHS Lanarkshire also takes part in the SANDS Greater Glasgow and Clyde bi-annual services.

Permanent Hospital Memorials

• Maternity Memorial Books situated in the maternity quiet room.

Cemetery and Crematorium Memorial Gardens

• Bothwell Park, Coltness and Lanark Cemeteries all have baby and children's gardens
• South Lanarkshire Crematorium also has a baby and children's garden

NHS Lothian

Memorial Services

• Annual memorial service on last Sunday in November held by the Royal Hospital for Sick Children Edinburgh with support from the Soul Marks Trust.
• Annual Baby Loss Awareness Day service held in the sanctuary at the Royal Infirmary arranged with support from SIMBA.
• SANDS Lothians hold an annual Christmas service.

Permanent Hospital Memorials

• Memorial book in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children Edinburgh. Each family receives written invitation to attend the annual memorial service and make an entry in the memorial book. The book was purchased, and is maintained by, the Sick Kids Friends Foundation.

Cemetery and Crematorium Memorial Gardens

• Designated Baby Areas exist in 1 City of Edinburgh, 2 Mid Lothian and several West Lothian Cemeteries.
• Crematoria have memorial books for babies and children.

NHS Shetland

Memorial Services

• Currently services are held via Aberdeen Maternity Hospital on a quarterly basis, however, the Board is in the process of setting up a local service for pregnancy loss and babies.

Cemetery Memorial Gardens

• There is a designated babies and children area within the cemetery featuring benches and plaques.

NHS Tayside

Memorial Services

• Baby and children memorial service held twice a year in Dundee.
• Annual baby and children memorial service held in Perth.
• Parents are able to attend a short committal service prior to cremation.

Cemetery Memorial Gardens

• Both Perth and Dundee cemeteries have a designated baby and children's area.
• Perth Crematorium has a has a baby and children's memorial garden.

NHS Western Isles

Memorial Services

• Baby and children memorial service held every two years at the hospital, through feedback parents are involved in the planning of these services.
• Parents are able to attend a short committal service at the cemetery.

Cemetery Memorial Gardens

• The cemetery has a dedicated bench.