The Scottish Cot Death Trust

What The Scottish Cot Death Trust does

The Scottish Cot Death Trust (SCDT) was a Glasgow-based registered charity founded in 1985 to support bereaved families after the death of a baby and to provide safer sleep advice to new and expectant parents in Scotland. Over a 40-year operating history, SCDT built a portfolio of services including a bereavement support helpline (0808 802 6868), a baby safety helpline (0808 802 6869), WhatsApp and webchat support, a befriending programme, family days out, a Facebook support group, and Scotland-specific resources such as "When a baby dies in Scotland." Its professional-facing offerings comprised the Baby Check mobile app, the Care of Next Infant (CONI) programme for bereaved families expecting another child, and SIDS and safer sleep training modules developed in partnership with the Scottish Government for health visitors, midwives, and other professionals in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dundee.

The Trust's revenue model was multi-stream and donation-dependent, combining individual donations, corporate fundraising, the Lullaby Lottery, legacy giving, merchandise sales through an online shop, and grants from charitable trusts and foundations. Strategic distribution was anchored by an embedded partnership with the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland, enabling safer sleep guides to reach every family welcoming a baby in Scotland. Following financial pressures, SCDT entered discussions with The Lullaby Trust in May 2025 and was subsequently transferred; SCDT has closed as a separate entity, with its services continuing under The Lullaby Trust across England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.

Name

The Scottish Cot Death Trust

Website

https://scottishcotdeathtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Closed

Short description

The Scottish Cot Death Trust was a Glasgow-based charity, founded in 1985, providing bereavement support and safer sleep advice to Scottish families and training to health professionals. After 40 years it was transferred to The Lullaby Trust in 2025 due to financial pressures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bereavement Support and Baby Safety Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO), Pediatric Hospice & Palliative Care (HLADAHAI), End-of-Life Emotional & Spiritual Support (Chaplaincy/Counseling) In-Home (HSABAFAH)

Keywords

• Bereavement support services
• Baby safety advice
• SIDS prevention
• Safer sleep training
• Charitable health support

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Trusts and Foundations: Funding from charitable trusts and foundations supporting specific programmes and research
2. Gifts in Wills (Legacy Giving): Legacy donations from supporters who include the charity in their wills
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of remembrance gifts, cards, prints, and merchandise through online shop
4. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, corporate fundraising, and events. Lullaby Lottery provides regular giving opportunity. Trusts and Foundations contribute funding.
5. Lullaby Lottery: Monthly lottery programme generating recurring revenue while engaging supporters

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Scottish Cot Death Trust provides specialist bereavement support services for families after the death of a baby or young child, evidence-based safer sleep and baby safety advice for new and expectant parents, and SIDS/safer sleep training for health professionals. Its service portfolio includes a bereavement helpline, baby safety helpline, webchat, WhatsApp, befriending support, the Baby Check app, the Care of Next Infant (CONI) programme, and Scotland-specific resources. The charity operates under The Lullaby Trust following the 2025 transfer.

Product overview

The Scottish Cot Death Trust (now integrated into The Lullaby Trust) provides a portfolio of baby safety and bereavement support services. The core offerings include evidence-based safer sleep advice and baby safety information, a dedicated baby safety helpline (0808 802 6869), specialist bereavement support services including helpline (0808 802 6868), WhatsApp, webchat, and befriending support, the Baby Check app for parents to assess baby health, and the Care of Next Infant (CONI) programme for families expecting after a loss. Professional services include SIDS and safer sleep training and bereavement training for health professionals. Scotland-specific resources include 'When a baby dies in Scotland', safer sleep guides, quick reference cards, and alcohol safety resources. An online shop offers resources, merchandise, and remembrance gifts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bereavement Support Services Specialist bereavement support services for families after the death of a baby or young child, including helpline, WhatsApp, webchat, befriending support, family days out, Facebook support group, and counselling referral services.
• Baby Safety Helpline Helpline service (0808 802 6869) available 10:00am – 2:00pm weekdays for baby safety advice and queries.
• Baby Check App Mobile application to help parents assess their baby's health and identify when medical attention may be needed.
• Care of Next Infant (CONI) Programme Programme supporting bereaved families when they have another baby, providing monitoring equipment and enhanced health professional support. Note: Currently not available in Scotland.
• SIDS and Safer Sleep Training Training programme for health professionals on SIDS and safer sleep practices, delivered in-person across Scottish cities and online via modules developed with the Scottish Government.
• Bereavement Training Training for professionals on supporting bereaved families.
• Scotland-Specific Resources Scotland-specific resources including 'When a baby dies in Scotland', 'Safer sleep for parents and carers – Scotland', 'Professionals guide – Scotland', 'Quick reference card – Scotland', 'Easy read card – Scotland', and alcohol safety resources for Scotland.
• Shop - Resources Online shop offering baby safety resources, bereavement support resources, and Care of Next Infant resources.
• Shop - Merchandise and Gifts Virtual gifts, remembrance gifts, cards, prints, The Lullaby Trust Collection merchandise, and Christmas cards.

Quantifiable outcome

• Training delivered in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dundee reaching health professionals who can share life-saving advice with hundreds of families each
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Scottish Baby Loss CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026The Lullaby Trust joined the Scottish Baby Loss Collaborative at Holyrood, Scottish Parliament in March 2026. This event strengthens connections with Members of Scottish Parliament and enables collaboration with other charities supporting bereaved families in Scotland.
• Scottish GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020The Lullaby Trust has worked with the Scottish Government for 5 years, beginning when the Scottish Government wished to develop a Scotland version of the 'safer sleep guide for parents' for distribution to every family welcoming a baby in Scotland. The partnership has expanded to include baby safety and alcohol resources, and online training for health professionals on SIDS and safer sleep.
• NHS ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS Scotland works with The Lullaby Trust to strengthen support available across Scotland. Health professionals receive training and distribute resources to families.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Lullaby Trust: UK-wide charity focused on SIDS prevention and bereavement support, which absorbed the Scottish Cot Death Trust in 2025. Provides essentially the same baby safety advice, bereavement helpline, professional training, and family support as SCDT, but at national scale.
• Sands (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society): UK charity supporting families affected by stillbirth and neonatal death, offering bereavement support, helplines, and peer support groups. Directly comparable target audience and service model, with overlapping but broader remit covering pregnancy loss.
• Child Bereavement UK: UK charity providing specialist bereavement support for children and families after the death of a child of any age. Overlaps on bereaved-family support services, helpline, and professional training for those working with grieving families.
• Winston's Wish: UK charity supporting bereaved children, young people and their families. Comparable on bereavement support services, training for professionals, and family-facing resources for those grieving the loss of a child.

Emerging players

• TAMBA (Twins and Multiple Births Association): UK charity supporting parents of multiples, with partial overlap on bereavement support for families who lose a twin or multiple — a specific use case that SCDT's bereavement guidance also addresses.
• BLISS (for babies born premature or sick): UK charity supporting families of babies born premature or sick. Overlaps on baby safety information, parental support, and bereavement when babies do not survive — partial but meaningful competitor for donor mindshare.
• Antenatal Results & Choices (ARC): UK charity supporting parents through antenatal screening and its outcomes, including bereavement. Comparable on providing non-directive information and peer support to families experiencing pregnancy/baby loss.

Broad incumbents

• NCT (National Childbirth Trust): Large UK charity for parents, offering safer sleep and baby care information overlapping with SCDT's baby safety helpline and resources, though NCT is broader across pregnancy, birth, and early parenting rather than specialising in SIDS/bereavement.
• Cruse Bereavement Support: UK-wide bereavement charity offering helplines, counselling, and training across all types of bereavement, including child loss. A broader incumbent whose remit and infrastructure overlap with SCDT's bereavement support services.

Regional players

• NHS Scotland Health Scotland: Public-sector body providing health information and resources to Scottish families, including infant health and safe sleep guidance. Operates as both partner and adjacent provider of overlapping baby safety content.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Scottish Cot Death Trust