Haven House Children’s Hospice is urging social workers and commissioners to rethink how children’s hospices can be used to support children in crisis, particularly for emergency and short-term placements.
The north-east London hospice, which supports babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, says a longstanding misconception that hospices are solely for end-of-life care means many children in desperate need of safe placements are missing out on a vital option.
“Too often, children with complex needs fall between the gaps - too unwell for a residential children’s home, but not ill enough to require hospital admission,” says Raphaella Corbishley, associate director of development and clinical quality at Haven House. “Hospices like ours can provide the stability, safety and therapeutic environment these children urgently need, whether for a weekend of respite or several weeks of structured support.”
A clinically safe, home-from-home setting
Haven House offers Care Quality Commission-registered, nurse-led, 24/7 care delivered by paediatric-trained staff, including therapists and social workers.This means children requiring interventions such as enteral feeding, oxygen therapy, suctioning, or seizure management can be cared for safely. Alongside clinical care, the hospice provides sensory play, emotional regulation support and family liaison services, ensuring wraparound support throughout the placement.
Meeting a growing need
The number of children living into adolescence with complex medical needs has grown significantly in recent years, while placement options in social care have failed to keep pace. Haven House believes children’s hospices can help to fill this gap.One recent case saw the hospice provide 12 weeks of stabilisation care for a medically fragile child following multiple disrupted placements. Working with the local authority, the child was able to regulate, re-engage in learning and transition successfully to long-term foster care - without the need for hospital admission or an out-of-area placement.
“This is not an isolated case,” adds Raphaella. “Children’s hospices can step in during times of crisis or transition, and we want social workers to know that we are ready and able to be part of the placement conversation.”
Open to referrals
Haven House now welcomes social care-funded placements and can respond rapidly to enquiries. A dedicated webpage, referral form and streamlined admissions process are designed to make it simple for social workers and commissioners to explore hospice care as a placement option. The hospice has also joined placement search platforms and is seeking new local authority partners for framework agreements and block-booking arrangements.“If you’ve never considered a hospice for a social care placement, or were told it wasn’t possible, we invite you to take another look,” says Raphaella. “At Haven House, we believe children with the most complex needs deserve the same stability, safety and joy as any other child.”
For more information on emergency and short-term placements at Haven House, visit www.havenhouse.org.uk/emergency-placements or contact placements@havenhouse.org.uk
