APS response to the Select Committee Inquiry into Stillbirth in South Australia

The Australian Psychological Society (APS) welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the South Australian (SA) Government Stillbirth Inquiry. As we highlight in our submission, stillbirth has profound psychological, social and emotional impacts on parents, families and communities.

The APS stands ready to collaborate with the SA Government to enhance stillbirth prevention and bereavement care through evidence-based psychological support, ensuring parents, families and communities receive the care they need during and after pregnancy loss. Our key recommendations include:

1. Psychologist Integration – Embed more psychologists in maternity and perinatal care to provide timely assessment, intervention and support for at-risk parents, including during subsequent pregnancies.
2. Public Awareness – Fund a public education campaign to reduce stigma, promote help-seeking and improve awareness of stillbirth and available evidence-based psychological care and supports.
3. Comprehensive Bereavement Care – Expand funding and eligibility for government funded psychological and support services to ensure long-term support for bereaved parents, families and kin.
4. Health Professional Training – Develop trauma-informed communication training for healthcare professionals to improve stillbirth-related care and bereavement support.
5. Data & Research – Strengthen data collection and fund research on psychosocial risk factors and psychological interventions for stillbirth prevention and bereavement care.

View submission