Dear SIDS and Kids SA Community Member, As you may be aware SIDS and Kids SA does not receive any government funding and relies solely on the generosity of our community to raise the funds we need to provide the services we offer. Unfortunately, this model is just not sustainable in the long term so I am seeking your support to lobby the SA Government to provide funding. Other like organisations in VIC, NSW, ACT, QLD, NT and WA receive state government funding but this is not the case in SA. CLICK HERE and sign the petition requesting the government to take note and assist in funding the vital services provided by SIDS and Kids SA. SIDS and Kids SA believe it is very reasonable to expect that the SA Government contribute towards the cost of delivering the valuable health service we offer because the majority (86%) of our 2020 and 2021 referrals to support and care for parents came from SA Government departments. In 2021 our organisation received an unprecedented number of referrals for grief counselling after the sudden death of a baby/child. There has been a surge in the number of South Australians needing mental health support since the pandemic and included in these numbers are newly bereaved parents struggling to cope with not only the impact of their child’s death but the impact of the pandemic. The situation is now at a critical point because we have almost reached capacity and cannot continue to take on clients using only the funds raised by the fundraising efforts of the SA community, so unfortunately, we are now seriously considering not accepting new referrals for the first time in our 45-year history. This is devastating for newly bereaved families and not a decision we will take lightly, as the potential negative impact on mental health and wellbeing is significant. SIDS and Kids SA have been supporting South Australian bereaved families with free grief counselling for 45 years and we hope to continue to do so for many years to come. If you have used our service or value the service that we offer we need your support. Often we think that our one small action won’t make a difference but multiply that one small action by many and you get effective change for the better. The more people we can get to lobby the government the louder our voice is. Together we can make a difference to secure long term funding for SIDS and Kids SA and ensure that our vital services remain accessible and free to anyone that needs them. In terms of timing there is a state election in March 2022 so this is our best chance of being heard. If you would like to show your support for funding for SIDS and Kids SA you can sign our Change.org petition by clicking here or you can email: Steven Marshall: premier@sa.gov.au Peter Malinauskas: laborleader@parliament.sa.gov.au Your Local MP (Both Parties) South Australian bereaved parents are just as deserving of state government support as bereaved parents in other states, so let’s ensure that SIDS and Kids SA remains able to provide our vital services for many years to come by accessing government funding. Warm regards, Liza Jankowski Chief Executive Officer SIDS and Kids SA | 
