Children's Hospices UK

Children's Hospices UK
Together for Short Lives · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Children's Hospices UK
Formation	2011
Type	Charity
Headquarters	London
Region served	United Kingdom
Leader title	Chief Executive

Children's Hospices UK is a national charity that supports hospice care for children and young people across the United Kingdom. Founded to coordinate, represent, and strengthen hospice services, the organisation works with regional providers, policymakers, and clinical networks to improve palliative care for children with life-limiting conditions. It operates within a landscape that includes NHS trusts, independent hospices, and family support agencies, influencing health policy and service delivery through partnerships and advocacy.

History

Children's Hospices UK emerged from discussions among leading hospice organisations and paediatric specialists in the early 2010s, responding to changing patterns in paediatric palliative care. Its formation followed collaborations between regional charities such as Acorns Children's Hospice, Helen & Douglas House, Sands, Shooting Star Children's Hospices, and Claire House Children's Hospice. Early governance involved trustees drawn from institutions like Great Ormond Street Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Royal Marsden Hospital, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, and academic centres including University College London and King's College London. The charity's inaugural campaigns referenced standards set by bodies such as National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and reports from Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and Care Quality Commission to advocate for consistent service provision. Over time it forged links with devolved administrations tied to Scottish Parliament, Senedd Cymru, and the Northern Ireland Assembly to address regional variations.

Mission and Services

The organisation's mission focuses on improving access to paediatric palliative care, supporting family-centred services, and promoting clinical best practice. It collaborates with professional bodies including Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of General Practitioners, Faculty of Public Health, British Association of Paediatric Surgeons, and specialist groups like Association for Paediatric Palliative Medicine. Services promoted include clinical networks aligned with NHS England, regional commissioning groups formerly known as Clinical Commissioning Group, and integrated pathways involving tertiary centres such as Great Ormond Street Hospital and Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. The charity works alongside research institutions including Imperial College London, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, and Cardiff University to underpin services with evidence and clinical trials.

Care Facilities and Programs

Children's Hospices UK supports a spectrum of care models, from home-based support coordinated with community teams to residential hospice stays at sites operated by member hospices. Member organisations include East Anglia's Children's Hospices, Derian House Children's Hospice, Martin House Children's Hospice, Richard House Children's Hospice, North West Hospices, and St Ann's Hospice (Manchester). Programs address symptom management, respite provision, end-of-life care, and bereavement services in coordination with paediatric departments at hospitals such as Birmingham Children's Hospital, Leeds General Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. Training initiatives link to professional development offered by NHS Improvement, Health Education England, and university clinical schools through fellowships and secondments.

Funding and Governance

The charity operates within a mixed funding environment combining voluntary income, philanthropic gifts, trusts and foundations, and statutory contracts with health commissioners. It engages funders and supporters including corporate partners like Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, and philanthropic organisations such as BBC Children in Need, The National Lottery Community Fund, Wellcome Trust, and Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Governance draws on trustees with backgrounds at institutions like Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, KPMG, and Deloitte as well as clinical leaders from St George's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, and academic chairs from University of Manchester and Newcastle University. Financial oversight reflects reporting standards aligned to Charity Commission for England and Wales and regulatory expectations from Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills where relevant.

Partnerships and Advocacy

Children's Hospices UK cultivates partnerships across the health, social care, education, and voluntary sectors. Strategic collaborators include NHS Confederation, Royal Voluntary Service, Mencap, Carers Trust, YoungMinds, Scope (charity), Barnardo's, Age UK for cross-sector learning, and international links with organisations such as Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance and UNICEF. Advocacy efforts target legislation and policy fora including submissions to House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee, engagement with the Department of Health and Social Care, and contributions to parliamentary inquiries alongside peers like National Voices and The King's Fund. Campaigns often partner with media organisations such as BBC News, The Guardian, The Times (London), and ITV to raise public awareness.

Impact and Recognition

The charity has influenced national frameworks for paediatric palliative care, contributing to improved referral pathways and increased training for clinicians. Its work has been recognised by awards and endorsements from entities such as NHS England commissioning pilots, citations in reports by Royal Society of Medicine, and acknowledgements from the Institute for Fiscal Studies for service evaluation work. Academic collaborations have yielded publications in journals associated with British Medical Journal, The Lancet, Pediatrics, and Archives of Disease in Childhood. The organisation's influence is visible in strengthened networks linking hospices to paediatric oncology centres like The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and neurology services at Evelina London Children's Hospital, supporting measurable improvements in family-reported outcomes and pathway integration.

Category:Health charities in the United Kingdom Category:Children's health organizations in the United Kingdom