Government announces new support package for parents facing miscarriage or child loss

The government will introduce a raft of new social measures on 1 January 2026 aimed at supporting parents experiencing miscarriage or the loss of a minor child, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue Andy Ellul announced on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference, Ellul said the measures stem directly from this year's national consultation on miscarriage leave and are intended to give families “the space, dignity and support they deserve in their most sensitive moments”.

At the centre of the package is a new seven-day miscarriage leave, fully paid by the state, granted to anyone who miscarries before 22 weeks of pregnancy as well as to their partner. The entitlement will apply to married and unmarried couples, including same-sex couples, and will cover workers in the public and private sectors, full-time or part-time, with pro-rata pay for part-timers.

Self-employed workers will also qualify, with payments based on the median wage.

A medical certificate from the woman’s gynaecologist will be required but will not include case details, Ellul stressed, saying privacy had been a core principle throughout the reform. The partner will also be eligible for leave under the same certificate.

The package includes free psychological support through Positive Parenting Malta, coordinated with the Social Policy Ministry, and employers will be required to treat all cases with “strict confidentiality”, with social partners issuing guidelines to assist workplaces.

Another major reform addresses a long-standing gap in the law: women who delivered a stillborn baby after 22 weeks were previously not entitled to maternity leave. Through a legal amendment, these mothers will now receive the full maternity leave entitlement.

Following complaints that women who miscarried were being placed in hospital wards next to new mothers, government has opened Early Pregnancy Units at Mater Dei Hospital and the Gozo General Hospital, providing private, dedicated spaces to receive care “with dignity”.

Parents who lose a child under the age of 18 will also see their bereavement leave extended to seven days, up from the previous one or two days depending on sector. As with miscarriage leave, the additional leave will be state-funded, applicable across all forms of employment, including self-employed people paid at the median wage.

Ellul said the reforms are not intended to make loss easier but to acknowledge the profound emotional and physical impact such events have on families.