Like hundreds of other bereaved families from around the state they recognised the symbolic day by attending a remembrance day service at St Michael's Uniting Church in Collins Street.

Lyndal Wight gave birth to twin girls in 2001, but one of the girls lived for only 11 days.

The experience inspired Mrs Wight to found a support group to support other people during their time of grief.

"It was a difficult time. Chloe was born with breathing difficulties. After the third day her prognosis wasn't good and life support was removed. We went home with only Leila."

In 2003, Mrs Wight and another bereaved parent started SKAMBA - SIDS Kids and Multiple Births Association.

"Parents often face a number of issues when their child dies and they can't discuss these with family or friends. There is a need to provide support for those parents, particularly with multiple births, as some lose one child or in some cases all their children.

"SKAMBA is a small support group with 20 families on the contact list. In any given month, two to three sets of parents come to us in need of support and when they no longer need it they move on."

SIDS and Kids chief executive officer Karen Passey said the organisation also offered free bereavement services to other families

who have experienced a late-term miscarriage, or the death of a baby at birth or in infancy, and

those who have lost children up to six years old in the metropolitan area and 18 years old in rural areas.

SIDS and Kids also supports local groups to help parents, siblings, grandparents and others affected by the sudden and unexpected loss of a child or baby through stillbirth or miscarriage.

But its major focus includes educational research. "Education initiatives such as the SIDS and Kids Safe Sleeping Program have saved the lives of almost 6000 Australian babies. That equates to an 85per cent reduction in deaths attributed to SIDS in Australia..

Ms Passey says the sleep-safe program makes people aware of the risks young babies can face in cots.

"They include key messages such as placing babies on their backs, leaving faces uncovered, having a smoke-free environment and positioning them in a cot free from doonas and bumpers.

"The organisation is still researching to find causes and recently broadened out to research the causes of still births."

Ms Passey said that in 2006 there were 2091 still births, almost 3000 perinatal deaths and 816 neonatal deaths.