Hope House Children's Hospices offer:

Respite Care

Our respite service is flexible and the number and length of visits to Hope House or Tŷ Gobaith depend upon a number of factors, including the current health of the child or young person and the requirements of their family. No charge is ever made to families.

We can care for a child while other family members take a much-needed break or work alongside the family to help with the daily routine. This support may also include skilled nursing care within the family's own home.

Care at Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith is family-centred in every respect. We aim to work in partnership with all family members and empower them to take control of decision-making and any choices available to them.

All families are invited to stay at the hospices with their sick child and they may do as much, or as little, of their care as they wish. Siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and close friends are all welcome. They are encouraged to make themselves at home, relax, join in activities or spend time talking to team members about any fears and concerns they may have. Some families choose to leave their sick child at Hope House or Tŷ Gobaith while they go off for a break or to spend time with healthy siblings.

The Care Team is made up of a variety of health and social care professionals to facilitate a multidisciplinary approach and enable true holistic care. The Medical Officer is a local GP with additional qualifications in palliative medicine.

Young Adults

Where it is clear that a young person's health is deteriorating and it is felt that Hope House Children's Hospices is the most appropriate organisation to offer them care, we can continue to support the young person up to 25 years of age. If the young adult has a longer life expectancy, we will work with the family and local adult services to help to identify appropriate services for the future and to ensure the family feel supported through transition. In some circumstances it may be necessary for us to gradually withdraw our service if a child-oriented environment is no longer appropriate for the young adult in question.

Antenatal and Neonatal Support

The baby and their family can be supported in the most appropriate setting for them, be it within their own home, at the hospice or in the hospital. Each situation will be unique to each family and we will endeavour to support their wishes. 

End of Life Care

Our care for a child or young person at the end of their life includes symptom management and additional support for family members and carers before, during and after death. We will do everything possible to meet the whole family's needs and wishes during this very difficult time. We are experienced in talking to families about care planning for end of life and will work with other professionals involved with the family whenever possible, according to the preferences of individual families.

Our special Snowflake Suites (with special cold bedrooms) allow children to remain at the hospice after death enabling the opportunity for family members to leave their child in a safe and familiar environment and to spend time saying goodbye in an informal and supportive environment.

Children or young people who have died at home or in hospital can also come into the Snowflake Suite, whether or not they have had previous contact with the hospice; the family will then have access to the full range of support services. Where a family wishes to remain at home as their child approaches the end of their life, our Outreach Team will do all they can to ensure they feel well supported.

Counselling and Bereavement Support

Counselling is available free of charge to all families using the services at Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith including parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters. Family members can be seen individually, as couples or whole families.

Counselling and bereavement support is also available to anyone living in Shropshire, Mid and North Wales, or West Cheshire who has been affected by the death of a baby, child or young person (up to the age of 25 years old when they died). Their death may have occurred in any circumstance. They do not need to have had any contact from Hope House Children’s Hospices prior to their need for bereavement support.

Counselling and bereavement support will be arranged in specialist counselling centres and if appropriate, in school for children and young people.