Bliss (charity)

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Bliss is a UK charity that helps babies born early or who are sick and supports their families. It works with doctors and nurses to improve neonatal care and runs campaigns for better hospital resources. Bliss also funds research to improve outcomes for premature babies. The chief executive is Caroline Lee-Davey. Bliss is based in London and serves England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.

Bliss began in 1979 after a letter to the Daily Telegraph highlighted the lack of equipment in neonatal units. It started as Bliss (Baby Life Support Systems) and raised funds to buy life-saving equipment for hospitals. Within five years, it donated equipment to 82 hospitals. In the 1990s, new treatments reduced infant deaths, and Bliss shifted focus toward training and research. The charity also highlighted underfunding by taking part in the Blue Peter appeals, raising millions to help neonatal care.

In 2000, Bliss campaigned to show that families relied on the charity for equipment, which helped secure more NHS support. Since then, Bliss has spent more on training and research. It offers an email helpline, a parent forum with Netmums, information on its site, and volunteers who provide face-to-face support on neonatal wards. It also publishes Little Bliss magazine and provides guidance on topics like kangaroo care and feeding premature babies.

Bliss champions family-centred care, which helps reduce babies’ stress and can shorten hospital stays. The Bliss Baby Charter is a framework to audit units on family-centred care; some units have been accredited (Southampton and Portsmouth), and as of 2017 about 130 of 195 units participated.

The charity campaigns for changes in government and NHS policy and funds research. It has reported on staff shortages and gaps in practical support for families, such as overnight accommodation and meals. Bliss also advocates for flexible school starting ages.

Bliss funds research worth over £10 million, including the EPICure study, which follows extremely premature babies into adulthood, and the SCAMP study, which found that better intravenous feeds can improve head growth and later outcomes for very premature babies.

World Prematurity Day is marked by Bliss and other groups in the World Prematurity Network. In 2016, Bliss’ World Prematurity campaign raised more than £12,000.