At JMW Solicitors, we are dedicated to providing support for parents and children affected by birth injury, especially when it was caused by something going wrong with their care during the birth process. We strive to help those affected get access to the answers they need about what caused their injury, and secure compensation, to ensure that children who have sustained life-changing injuries at birth can live as independently as possible.

This is particularly important for children  affected by hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (H, I.E.), a serious  condition caused by a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain during birth. H.I.E, can cause a baby to be very unwell after their birth and in need of specialist neonatal care. Sadly, it can also leave the child with long-term brain injury and families often need a lot of support to manage the condition. At JMW, we have worked on behalf of many children with an H.I.E. injury and their families and are dedicated to putting them  in touch with charity partners who can provide further support. 

This is why our partnership with the charity Peeps is so important to us. The charity has been operating since 2018 to provide vital support for parents, families, and friends of those who have experienced an H.I.E. event. It offers practical assistance and carries out vital educational work around a condition that not many people have heard of.

Here, we explore the work that Peeps does for these families every single day and highlight what JMW is doing to support this important charity.

What is HIE?

Hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy is a serious birth injury caused by a lack of oxygen and blood flow to a baby’s brain during or around the time of birth. The condition is also sometimes known as birth asphyxia.

This oxygen deprivation can result in significant brain injury and lead to long-term neurological and developmental challenges. The severity of H.I.E. varies, with some children experiencing mild symptoms that improve over time, while others face severe disabilities that require lifelong care and support.

Awareness of H.I.E. is typically not very high, but that doesn’t mean the condition is extremely rare. H.I.E. affects 3-4 in every 1,000 babies. This means that potentially 50 babies every week are experiencing an H.I.E. event.

Cerebral palsy caused by H.I.E. is a condition that affects not just the child, but the entire family. The emotional and physical demands of caring for a child with cerebral palsy. are immense, as they often require specialised medical care, therapy, and support. For many families, the diagnosis of cerebral palsy. can be overwhelming, bringing with it a need for extensive resources, information, and a strong support network. This is where organisations like Peeps come into play.

What Does Peeps Do?

Peeps is the only UK charity dedicated to supporting those affected by H.I.E. The organisation was founded in 2018 by Sarah and Steve Land, and took its name from a nickname given to their daughter Heidi, who was affected by H.I.E. at birth.

Having found a real lack of available information about H.I.E. when Heidi was born, the Lands set out to make sure that families who found themselves in the same situation would have access to all of the resources they need. As such, Peeps provides support in a number of ways:

• Creating and distributing free parent packs, posters and leaflets for NICUs (neonatal intensive care units), to give families affected by H.I.E. access to information and support from the earliest opportunity.
• Offering funding support to help families afford the equipment necessary to look after children with particular healthcare needs following H.I.E..
• Providing mental health support and counselling for those who would benefit from speaking to someone about their H.I.E. experiences.
• Offering bereavement services to those families who have experienced loss following H.I.E.
• Helping H.I.E. families who require legal support to connect with specialist solicitors with a strong understanding of the issues they face.
• Sharing information and resources to help educate H.I.E. families on everything they need to know, and working to raise awareness of a condition that many people are not familiar with.

Peeps’ work is driven by the values of kindness, inclusion, integrity, collaboration and innovation. We find their commitment to supporting families affected by H.I.E. to be truly inspiring - which is why JMW is proud to partner and work closely with the charity.

JMW’s Partnership with Peeps

At JMW Solicitors, our clinical negligence team has long been dedicated to giving families who have been affected by birth injury due to medical errors legal support when they need it. By supporting a family’s medical negligence claim, we can help them to obtain compensation settlements that can ease their financial burdens, and pay for the support and care their loved ones will require throughout their lives.

As such, our goals align closely with those of Peeps, and we have been involved with the charity since its early days. We support its work in the following ways:

Peeps Legal Support

Peeps launched a Legal Support panel in August 2023, with the aim of signposting families looking for legal advice to trusted solicitors who can help them to make informed decisions about their legal options.

JMW was among the first law firms to be appointed to the Legal Support group. We went through Peeps’ due diligence process and the charity was confident enough in the quality of our services to recommend us directly to the families it supports. This is a testament to our proven credentials in dealing with H.I.E. and birth injury cases, and the nationwide availability of our services.

Fundraising support

Like most charities, Peeps is only able to deliver its vital work thanks to the direct contributions of its supporters.

JMW is committed to contributing to these fundraising efforts; in 2023 alone, our clinical negligence partner Jodie Miller - who is part of the Peeps Legal Support panel -  organised and took part in several fundraisers for the charity, including participating in a fire walk in April and entering a team into the 10k Great Manchester Run in May. Between these two events, we were able to raise nearly £1,500 in donations for Peeps!

Find out more

You can find out more about Peeps, and our work in supporting them, here:

• The Peeps homepage, where you can access support or more information
• The Peeps Legal Support panel, including JMW’s entry
• JMW’s guide to the medical negligence claims process, created in partnership with Peeps
• Peeps’ fundraising page, where you can learn how to support the charity