The Lullaby Trust (formerly FSID) is a British

charitable organisation A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ch ...

aiming to prevent unexpected deaths in infancy and promote infant health. The Lullaby Trust funds research, supports families whose babies have died suddenly and unexpectedly, disseminates information on infant health,

baby care Child care, otherwise known as day care, is the care and supervision of a child or multiple children at a time, whose ages range from two weeks of age to 18 years. Although most parents spend a significant amount of time caring for their child(r ...

and sudden infant deaths to health professionals and the general public, and works with professionals to improve investigations when a baby dies.

History

Over half a century ago – in 1971 – a meeting was convened in Cambridge as a result of one grandmother's search to find out why her baby grandson had died suddenly and unexpectedly. This gathering led to the founding of the world's first organisation devoted to research, information and support in the field of infant deaths. Since The Lullaby Trust teamed up with the Department of Health to launch the campaign to reduce the risk of sudden infant death in 1991, the UK sudden infant death rate has fallen by 75%, and has been hailed one of the most successful

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

campaigns ever, estimated to have saved more than 20,000 lives. The Lullaby Trust has gone on to become one of the world's leading authorities on sudden infant death, the UK's largest funder of

medical research Medical research (or biomedical research), also known as experimental medicine, encompasses a wide array of research, extending from "basic research" (also called ''bench science'' or ''bench research''), – involving fundamental scientif ...

into sudden infant death, the main source of support for bereaved families and a major information provider.

Services

* Helpline for parents, carers and health professionals and bereaved families. * A wide range of publications and resources on reducing the risk of

Sudden infant death syndrome Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden unexplained death of a child of less than one year of age. Diagnosis requires that the death remain unexplained even after a thorough autopsy and detailed death scene investigation. SIDS usuall ...

and safe baby care, available from the website. * A network of trained

befriender Befrienders are carefully selected volunteers, from a variety of organisations and mental health charities, who are trained to provide support and companionship to lonely, or emotionally distressed, people.Hewitt, R.D'O. (2007) ''Moving on: a guide ...

s to support bereaved families. * A busy programme of training, events and Family Days Out throughout the UK. * The Care of Next Infant Scheme, with the NHS, to support bereaved families during and after the birth of their subsequent children. * The CONI Plus Scheme offers help to families who may have reason to be anxious about the birth of their child. For example, if they are close relatives of a baby that has suffered a sudden infant death, have lost a baby to causes other than sudden infant death or have a baby who has experienced an apparent life-threatening event. * A website which aims to help & support young parents. The Lullaby Trust operates throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. As well as the team in head office there are also eight Regional Development Officers who actively promote The Lullaby Trust's campaigns across the country.

Fundraising

Events to raise money for The Lullaby Trust range from skydives to marathons, treks and cycles. An example of a fundraising event is the Mile in Memory walk, undertaken to honour the life of someone special to the supporter. In 2012, the event raised £67,000 and took place in over 65 different venues.

Supporters

In 2012, British Independent Record label,

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, released a benefit compilation album titled ''Some.Alternate.Universe'' to raise money for The Lullaby Trust. The album featured artists like

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, Benjamin Shaw,

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(

Art Brut Art Brut are a Berlin-based English and German indie rock band. Their debut album, '' Bang Bang Rock & Roll'', was released on 30 May 2005, with its follow up, ''It's a Bit Complicated'', released on 25 June 2007. Named after French painter Je ...

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( Hefner),

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, Paul Hawkins & The Awkward Silences.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lullaby Trust Medical and health foundations Health charities in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1971 1971 establishments in the United Kingdom