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Social isolation is not new to families caring for children with life-limiting conditions. Many are used to long hospital stays far from home, long periods of illness preventing normal daily activities, being unable to attend school due to health needs, and sacrificing social interactions due to care needs. But the Covid lockdown brought many new and often terrifying challenges to these families, many of whom have seen care packages fall away and their wider support networks disappear in the wake of the global pandemic.
Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW), which looks after 500 families around the South West, has had to adapt its care model. Because of the significant risks and the vulnerability of children, routine respite stays at the three hospices have been cancelled. But the hospices remain open for emergency and end-of-life care and the charity has developed a ‘hospice, home and virtual’ model to be able to continue caring for families. Alli Ryder, CHSW’s Director of Care, said: “For the first time ever, we have started working in the community, which has been an amazing transformation in our services. We have supported children in their homes providing night shifts when care packages in the community have fallen apart. We have also been providing care for community children’s nurses, cover over weekends and evenings.”
CHSW needs around £11m a year to run its three children’s hospices and around 85 per cent is raised through voluntary donations. As a result of the lockdown, the charity had to cancel or postpone many of its fundraising events planned for the year. It also had to close its 35 South West charity shops, although the majority of these have now been able to reopen. CHSW Director of Fundraising, Paul Courtney, said: “Across the South West, many people don’t know what the coming months will hold, but we can all do something now to play a huge part in our future.” To find out how you can support the charity, visit www.chsw.org.uk