What is Children’s Hospice Week?

A children’s hospice is an organisation which helps facilitate palliative care for young children. Children’s Hospice Week, which runs from June 20th to June 26th this year, helps spread awareness around the UK for all related child hospice services. 

This year, the theme of Children’s Hospice Week is #ForTheChildren. Aiming to raise funds, spread awareness and educate the public on all the fantastic work child hospices and hospice workers do around the country for children 24/7. 

Spreading Awareness for Children’s Hospice Week 2022 

For most families, this subject may be brushed under the rug, or deemed as a taboo subject. 

Often people find it too difficult a topic to discuss, and since it doesn’t relate to them, they don’t bother. 

This is because, thankfully, very few families have to suffer with their children receiving a life limiting diagnosis. 

But what does this mean for the families that do experience this? 

Why is it so important we open a discussion on this topic?? 

The answer is because hardly anyone else is currently having them. 

And by breaking down this taboo, you can help families who are experiencing this issue for the first time. 

By spreading awareness about the subject, you can help normalise children’s hospice care.

Helping struggling families find the support they need to get them through what can be a difficult time.

Counselling 

One of the biggest differences between adult and child palliative or end of life care is the focus that is put on helping the child through their natural age development. 

Growing up can be difficult for any child or teenager when discovering the changes which are being made to their body.  

But these big changes, when combined with a life limiting illness, means even more attention on the children’s development in all things physically, emotionally or cognitevly. 

This means professionals specialise in exploring emotions, making friends and creating loved memories for the children in care. 

Allowing children to grief and love together, creating an environment where children don’t feel alone, but a part of a community in which they help each other as a social group.  

Ultimately, counselling does many things, and all children in palliative care have different experiences. 

But the focus is to make sure children feel loved, never alone and to help with any specific individual troubles.

Bereavement Support 

A family’s contact with the hospice doesn’t end upon a child’s death, but rather continues. 

Particularly after the first early weeks, families are given special care through phone calls and meet ups to discuss anything about the child and to help with the initial stages of grief. 

Moreover, families are welcome to return annually to child hospices for Remembrance Days.

Every facility is different, but typically annual Remembrance Days are set up for all those children who have died whilst at the hospice, and families are invited to come and give respect. 

This allows opportunities for families to form connections with others who have faced similar circumstances and to meet up outside of the child hospice network. 

Also, to help brother and sisters, sibling workers are available to give specialised support to those who need it too. 

In other words, care and support doesn’t end when a child dies.

All child hospice workers recognise this and continue to give excellent support to those who need it most. 

And to that end we thank all child hospice workers and staff for all the great work that you do. 

Help Support Children’s Hospice Week 

Take on the 99,000 steps challenge! To represent a step for every child in the UK with a life limiting or threatening condition, sign up here. The challenge is great. Either take part in a team, individually or simply by spreading word, you’ll be doing your part.