Seeking Support
Whether you have been trying for months or years. Whether you have never seen a positive pregnancy test or you have seen many but still don’t hold a baby in your arms. Whether you long for just one child or you ache for a sibling for the child or children you already have. Whether you are just starting to seek help from your GP or you are on your fifth cycle of IVF.
Wherever you are on your journey with infertility we are here to help.
Fertility treatment and struggling to conceive is an emotional rollercoaster. And if you would benefit from the help and support of others who can relate to what you are going through please explore our support options to find one that feels right for you. We are here for everyone, no matter where you are on your journey.
You are not alone.
Fertility treatment and struggling to conceive is an emotional rollercoaster. And if you would benefit from the help and support of others who can relate to what you are going through please explore our support options to find one that feels right for you. We are here for everyone, no matter where you are on your journey.
You are not alone.
Support meetings
It is never easy to take that first step towards seeking support. It can be a daunting feeling to open up about what you are going through. For this reason we make our support meetings as friendly and welcoming as possible, in a comfortable and completely private venue. We offer a safe space where you can come and be in the company of others who have been there or who are going through it too.
There is no pressure to share or talk any more than your feel comfortable doing - we are there to listen whenever you feel ready - the only thing we ask is that what is discussed is kept confidential between the group due to the often sensitive nature of the conversation.
Our main aim is for people to leave feeling a little lighter, knowing that they are not alone and that support and guidance is there when they need it. While hopefully making some new friends along the way too.
Our meetings are held every six weeks and if you would like to come along or if you have any other questions that we haven’t answered here, please get in touch.
Our main aim is for people to leave feeling a little lighter, knowing that they are not alone and that support and guidance is there when they need it. While hopefully making some new friends along the way too.
Our meetings are held every six weeks and if you would like to come along or if you have any other questions that we haven’t answered here, please get in touch.
Contact us
“The meetings I have attended were incredibly helpful providing an open and confidential forum in which you can listen to others or share your feelings with people experiencing similar struggles. I would absolutely come again and would encourage anyone experiencing similar issues to join.”
Facebook group
You can access support wherever you are through our private Facebook group. The group is administered by the charity governors for Tiny Seeds for the purpose of providing a safe online space where Jersey residents who are either experiencing infertility or requiring the help of fertility treatment to conceive can connect with and support one another along their journey.
By joining this group you will benefit from being able to share experiences with others who are going through the same or who have been where you are now. And you will also be able to keep up to date and involved with any feedback for or changes to the fertility services on the island.
The group is set up as a Facebook "private" group, which means anyone can find the group and see who runs it but only members can see who’s in it and what they post. Non-members cannot join without permission and cannot see what group members post. You can access the group by clicking the button below.
The group is set up as a Facebook "private" group, which means anyone can find the group and see who runs it but only members can see who’s in it and what they post. Non-members cannot join without permission and cannot see what group members post. You can access the group by clicking the button below.
Join group
“This support group has been the support and sounding board I didn’t even realise I needed!”
Tiny Seeds Talking
Tiny Seeds Talking is our podcast channel where we discuss all things fertility, infertility and the challenges so often faced when trying to bring home a baby.
Each episode has its own subject focus and shares the real life experiences of those who have been through, or are going through a fertility struggle, helping others know that they are not alone.
Across all the episodes we raise awareness, challenge stigmas and importantly, provide an avenue of support that can be accessed anytime, anywhere.
You can listen to all of our podcasts here.
Across all the episodes we raise awareness, challenge stigmas and importantly, provide an avenue of support that can be accessed anytime, anywhere.
You can listen to all of our podcasts here.
Tiny Seeds Travel Grant
What is a Tiny Seeds travel grant?
Tiny Seeds travel grants are payments of £400 to individuals or couples undergoing IVF treatment in the hope of building their families, to assist them with the extra costs and financial strain associated with the need to travel away from Jersey for the procedure.
Individuals and couples undergoing IVF can apply for this grant once they have received confirmation from their treating consultant/fertility clinic that travel for treatment is imminent.
Who is eligible to apply?
To apply for this grant you must:
- Be travelling away from Jersey for a full cycle of IVF treatment or frozen embryo transfer
- Be a Jersey resident
You must not:
- Have previously received a travel grant from Tiny Seeds within the last 12 months
- Have received a means-tested grant for IVF treatment costs from the Government of Jersey within the last 12 months (please check your eligibility for means-tested Government funding for IVF with the Assisted Reproduction Unit).
This grant is available to anyone undergoing IVF treatment in the hope of building their families, including:
- Heterosexual couples
- Same sex couples
- Single people
- Those undergoing treatment using donor eggs/sperm/embryos
- Those using a surrogate or gestational carrier
We regret we cannot approve the travel grant for use in egg freezing cycles for fertility preservation purposes.
How do I apply?
Once you have received confirmation of travel for impending egg collection or frozen embryo transfer, please complete the travel grant application form and return it along with the declaration of travel to hello@tinyseeds.je as soon as you can, but no later than within one month of travel. Both forms can be obtained from your on-island treating consultant either through the Assisted Reproduction Unit or the Jersey Women's Health Hub.
How can I support the fund?
This fund has been made possible through the generous support of the Jersey Community Foundation with funds from Dormant Bank Accounts. At the moment we anticipate we have enough in the fund to provide these travel grants for approximately 6 months, which means we are currently working hard to build on this to allow us to keep supporting those who need our help.
You can make a donation to the fund by following the link below to our online donations page. Or if you would like to further discuss how you or your organisation could help we would love to hear from you!
Counselling
Infertility is a medical condition that impacts on all areas of your life. if you are feeling depressed, anxious, or so preoccupied with your infertility that you feel it is hard to live your life productively you may benefit from talking to a medical professional. When considering fertility treatment options such as sperm, egg, or embryo donation or gestational carriers, it may be especially helpful to gain the assistance of a fertility counsellor.
If you are registered with a fertility clinic and undergoing treatment then they should have their own on-site counsellor available for you to access and this will be included as part of your treatment. Please contact your clinic for information about their own specific counselling options.
Here on island, those who are struggling with their mental health due to a difficult fertility journey can access support from Karina Ward, who is a qualified counsellor and has been supporting patients of the ARU since October 2021.
Karina qualified through the CPCAB (Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body) and has membership with the BACP (The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and is fully insured.
Karina now works as a full time Counsellor for Women’s Services, Health & Community Services and can offer counselling sessions in a private, confidential space in the General Hospital (in a non-clinical area). Sessions are currently offered between 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday.
If you would like further details, to book a counselling session, or to organise an introductory meeting, please email counsellingsupportw&c@gov.je or call (01534) 447876 or text 07797 776215 and Karina will respond to you as soon as she can.
Karina qualified through the CPCAB (Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body) and has membership with the BACP (The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and is fully insured.
Karina now works as a full time Counsellor for Women’s Services, Health & Community Services and can offer counselling sessions in a private, confidential space in the General Hospital (in a non-clinical area). Sessions are currently offered between 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday.
If you would like further details, to book a counselling session, or to organise an introductory meeting, please email counsellingsupportw&c@gov.je or call (01534) 447876 or text 07797 776215 and Karina will respond to you as soon as she can.
Book Session
Pregnancy after infertility
We know that the questions (and often the worries) don’t always end with a positive pregnancy test or successful round of treatment and it is important that support is still available to those who need access to it.
In addition to our private Facebook group for those going through treatment, we also have a ‘follow-on’ group for those who are finally pregnant or parenting after infertility and loss.
The group is administered by the charity governors for Tiny Seeds for the purpose of providing a safe online space where Jersey residents can connect with and support one another along their journey.
If you are struggling with worries or feelings of anxiety during pregnancy, please reach out for support. You can talk to a family member, medical professional, counsellor or get in touch with us to discuss what support options are available.
The group is administered by the charity governors for Tiny Seeds for the purpose of providing a safe online space where Jersey residents can connect with and support one another along their journey.
If you are struggling with worries or feelings of anxiety during pregnancy, please reach out for support. You can talk to a family member, medical professional, counsellor or get in touch with us to discuss what support options are available.
