As Very Special Kids provides a wide range of services to support the family through the experience of caring for a child with a life-threatening illness, their first point of contact is with a Family Support Team Member.
Family Support Team Members are counsellors and social workers who work closely with the family to determine the needs and ongoing care requirements of the family. It is generally through the Family Support Team Member that the family is introduced to Very Special Kids’ House.
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The type of care provided by Very Special Kids’ House is dependent on the nature of the child’s illness and the needs of the family. Regardless, a high level of quality care is essential as a significant number of our children have high medical needs. The information below provides an overview of the care that is provided for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families at varying stages of life at Very Special Kids’ House.
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Respite care
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Caring for a child with a life-threatening illness can put a lot of pressure on the family unit. Very Special Kids’ House allows the parents and siblings to have a much-needed break from the around-the-clock care that comes with having an extremely ill child. The value of respite care can not be underestimated. In many cases it is the difference between being able – or not being able – to cope with the constant care that is required.
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Transitional care
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During the course of a child’s illness, multiple admissions to the acute setting are the predicted norm. Families are constrained by the rigidity of the hospital routine and limitations of hospital space. At the same time, families are often not prepared for the challenges facing them when they take their child home. Very Special Kids is able to offer bed days to transition some children to their homes, as these children may not be ready to go home but must leave the hospital because their beds are needed for children requiring acute medical care.
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End-of-life care
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Research shows that choosing the setting where a child dies is important to families. While home is chosen by many, for other families, the hospice is the preferred setting of choice. Providing end-of-life care is an essential service to families of children with life-threatening illnesses. Experienced staff members address physical symptoms as they are presented, with counselling and complementary therapies being provided in a familiar setting.
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