Oakwood Solicitors is proud to announce a pioneering partnership with the Foundation for Infant Loss, uniting legal expertise with world-class bereavement education. Hoping to provide a holistic network of support for families navigating the profound devastation of pregnancy and infant loss.
While families face the life-shifting emotional trauma of losing a child, the experience is frequently compounded by the complex realities of medical negligence during pregnancy, labour, or delivery. This collaboration bridges a vital gap in care and ensures families do not have to walk the journey alone.
Supporting Families Through Legal and Emotional Journeys
As a female-led firm, Oakwood Solicitors understands that giving birth should be a life-changing, positive experience, but it can unfortunately turn devastating if medical mistakes by healthcare professionals lead to a birth injury or loss.
The firm recognises that birth injuries, which affect mothers and children due to trauma or developmental oversights during labour, are distinct from congenital birth defects.
While some complications are unavoidable, others are the direct result of medical negligence, ranging from midwife and maternity negligence to obstetric errors, issues involving forceps, or misdiagnosed pre-existing conditions.
Navigating a birth injury claim during such a sensitive time can feel overwhelming. Therefore, Oakwood Solicitors’ expert clinical negligence team ensures they provide a supportive, pressure-free environment to help families seek justice and financial security, maintaining a united front alongside the Foundation for Infant Loss.
A Shared Commitment to Compassion and Excellence
The Foundation for Infant Loss was founded in 2007 by Dr Chantal Fowler Lockey following the tragic loss of her six-week-old daughter, Marnie, to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in 2004. Since then, Foundation for Infant Loss Training has grown into a globally recognised authority in bereavement care.
In recognition of her extraordinary dedication to raising standards of frontline care, Dr Fowler Lockey was awarded a Medallist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) by His Majesty King Charles III in the 2025 New Year Honours List for services to bereavement care.
The Foundation provides essential services, including:
- National Baby Loss Helpline: Direct support and guidance operated by trained staff with personal experience in infant loss.
- Comprehensive Signposting: Connecting families and professionals with resources regarding funeral costs, family and independent therapies, legal guidance, memory-making, and subsequent pregnancies.
- Expert Practitioner Training: Accredited education services, such as in-person study days and an online academy, for midwives, nurses, social workers, funeral directors, and counsellors.
- Employer Training: Toolkits and educational resources to help workplaces implement sensitive bereavement policies.
The Role of Legal Support in Healing
Looking into making a claim may be the last thing on your mind if you or your baby has suffered a birth injury or the loss of a child. However, making a birth injury compensation claim with the right team behind you can alleviate financial pressures during an already difficult time.
If you have sadly been affected by a birth injury or loss, you may be left with pain and suffering requiring expensive treatment and long-term recovery.
Compensation claims help families secure essential futures by covering:
- Justice and Accountability: Addressing the loss of a child or injury resulting from another individual’s medical negligence.
- Long-Term Financial Security: Funding for home modifications, specialised medical equipment, schooling, transport, and lost earnings.
- Future Care and Well-Being: Ensuring necessary care infrastructure is permanently in place to enhance a child’s or family’s quality of life.
- Systemic Prevention: Highlighting healthcare issues to help prevent similar medical errors from happening to other families.
Through rigorous investigation, direct negotiation, and expert court representation when required, Oakwood Solicitors guides clients every step of the way, beginning with a free, confidential initial conversation to determine eligibility.
Supporting Quotes
“Partnering with the Foundation for Infant Loss allows us to ensure that our clients receive more than just legal representation. By combining our clinical negligence expertise with their world-class bereavement training and support, we can offer families a truly holistic network of care during their hardest moments.” Carol Cook, Head of Medical Negligence Department at Oakwood Solicitors
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Oakwood Solicitors as our exclusive legal panel member for Leeds and Bradford. Having access to trusted, highly specialised legal advice is vital for families who are seeking answers about their care, and Oakwood Solicitors brings both the deep expertise and the profound empathy that this sensitive work demands.
As we approach Baby Loss Awareness Week, this partnership highlights our shared dedication not only to supporting grieving families but also to driving real change in maternity safety. By committing to our specialist training, the team at Oakwood Solicitors are actively investing in a deeper understanding of maternity safety and trauma-informed communication. Together, we are ensuring that families are listened to, their experiences are respected, and that crucial lessons are learned to improve future outcomes” Dr Chantal Fowler Lockey BEM at the Foundation of Infant Loss
A Unified Message of Support
Through this partnership, Oakwood Solicitors and the Foundation for Infant Loss aim to ensure that grieving families receive not only the rigorous legal advocacy they deserve, but also the deep emotional understanding, education, and compassionate community support critical to healing.
For more information about the partnership, or to speak confidentially with a member of the Oakwood Solicitors team, please visit one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.
To access bereavement support and educational resources provided by the Foundation for Infant Loss, visit the Foundation for Infant Loss website.
Further Support and Next Steps:
Oakwood Solicitors | Dedicated Leeds and Bradford Regional Legal Partner for FIL.
The Foundation for Infant Loss website.
Your legal guide to Birth Injury Claims.
Carol Cook joined Oakwood Solicitors in May 2017 to lead the Medical Negligence Department.
Carol handles a wide range of clinical, cosmetic and dental negligence claims and has years of experi…
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