The Sick Children’s Trust
Good Causes Exhibitor
The Sick Children’s Trust provides ‘Home from Home’ accommodation for families with children seriously ill in hospital. Locally we have been operating Treetop House, a 13 bedroomed house on top of Sheffield Children’s Hospital for 13 years. Demand for Treetop House has always been high and in December 2013 we opened a second house in Sheffield.
Magnolia House has 11 bedrooms and is linked directly to the Critical Care Wards (Neonatal, Intensive Care and High Dependency) and is for use by families with children on those wards only. Parent beds are not available on those wards so we are the only option for those parents to sleep without leaving the hospital. The 2 houses support roughly 700 families per year.
Families in both houses have a private bedroom (some en suite) and access to shared bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, living room, playroom and laundry facilities, all within minutes of where the child is being treated and with direct phone access to the wards in each bedroom. We welcome parents and siblings and sometimes other family members in order to keep the family together at a very difficult time.
Being able to stay in one of our houses reduces financial strains and logistical issues that arise when a child is taken ill. In particular care for siblings who are already upset by the circumstances would be an issue for families should we not provide this accommodation. The family is able to focus solely on the recovery of the sick child. Emotional support comes both from our house staff and from being with families in similar circumstances.
Paediatricians believe that recovery is greatly aided by having loved ones close by “‘Homes from Home’ are arguably as fundamental to the wellbeing of children and their families in hospital as any other aspects of a child’s medical and nursing care.” Dr George Rylance, Consultant Paediatrician, The Royal Victoria Infirmary
It costs £28 per room per night to run these facilities and we rely solely on grants and donations. We also have to fundraise for any new houses or any refurbishment or replacing of items.
