About The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths
Cot death claims the lives of 7 babies every week in the UK.
FSID is the UK’s leading cot death charity and a major information provider in the field of baby health. Our aim is to give every baby the chance of a lifetime. We do this by:
• Funding ground-breaking research
• Supporting families whose babies have died suddenly and unexpectedly
• Giving information on baby care and health to health professionals and the general public
• Campaigning for improved investigations into all unexpected infant deaths
Our services include:
• Providing a free helpline for bereaved parents (Tel 0808 802 6868)
• Publishing a wide range of publications and resources on reducing the risk of cot death and safe baby care
• A network of trained Befrienders to support bereaved families
• A busy programme of training, events and Family Days Out throughout the UK
As a result of our work, since 1989 nearly 19,000 babies’ lives have been saved – however there is still a lot more for us to do. Cot death remains the biggest killer of babies over one month old, claiming more lives than meningitis, traffic accidents, leukaemia or any form of cancer put together.
Our history
In April 1970, a meeting of experts was convened in Cambridge as a result of one grandmother's quest to discover why her baby grandson had died suddenly and inexplicably. This gathering led in January 1971 to the establishment of The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID), the world's first organization devoted to research, information and support in this field.
By 1989, FSID had helped well over 6,000 bereaved families, and funded over 100 research projects. The same year, it also organized the first ever international conference devoted to cot death, enabling professionals from all over the world to compare notes, theories and expertise.
The 24-hour helpline was launched in 1990, offering support to bereaved families and the latest information and advice to worried parents. Its 100,000th call was logged within only eight years of operation.
From modest beginnings, FSID has now become one of the world's leading authorities on cot death, the UK's largest funder of medical research into this area, and the principal resource for health professionals and families alike.