Our care and support
Our care is designed to fit around every family, to be flexible around changing needs, and to offer the right support when and where it’s needed.
Family services
All our families can access holistic, wraparound support, including counselling, a range of therapies, family experiences, and much more.
Practical and emotional support for families, including advice, information and advocacy.
Fully accessible facilities, including sensory rooms, soft play, a cinema room and hydropool.
Social activities, play and crafts, and support to nurture emotional resilience, share experiences and increase confidence.
From ages 14 to 24, we help young people and their families prepare for life and the move to adult services.
Our events are designed to get families together to have fun and make lasting memories.
Demelza’s physical therapists work closely with families, community therapists, and other teams to build confidence and independence, focusing on children’s individual strengths and abilities.
We offer a range of creative and sensory therapies to soothe and enhance wellbeing.
Our volunteers are available to help with everyday tasks, from driving to appointments, to gardening and DIY.
Our confidential support is always there to help families during challenging times.
Specialist short breaks
Demelza offers specialist short breaks for families with children with the highest complex care needs, plus step-down care to bridge the gap between hospital and home, and daycare in the home and the community.
Overnight breaks for your child are offered at Demelza Kent or South East London where they will be looked after by our specialist nursing and care teams.
Day care for your child is also offered at Demelza Kent or South East London.
Demelza’s community care team brings expert nursing and support directly to your home, offering flexible, personalised care tailored to your child’s needs.
When your child is ready to leave hospital but not quite ready to go home, Demelza offers step-down care to support a smooth transition.
Specialist nursing care
Providing specialist nursing will always be our priority at Demelza, and with more than 25 years’ experience of caring for children and young people with serious or life-limiting conditions, our nursing team will be there to support your family when and where you need us the most.
If a child has complex symptoms and medication regimes, our nursing and care teams have the training, experience and knowledge to help manage their condition effectively.
We provide specialist care for children as they approach the end of their life and support the whole family.
Bereavement support
Whether online, on the phone or in person, we remain committed to supporting families through the most difficult of times.
We offer practical advice and support with funeral arrangements, official processes, and emotional care, while signposting families to relevant welfare and social care services.
The counselling team at Demelza is here to support you and your family. They are here to listen, to help you develop coping skills and to offer guidance.
We offer a range of creative and sensory therapies to soothe and enhance wellbeing.
Demelza runs regular virtual catch-up and creative groups for families to meet others and talk or be creative in a relaxed environment.
If you are experiencing loneliness or social isolation, Demelza may be able to put you in touch with one of our trained and experienced befriending volunteers who can offer friendship and a listening ear over the phone or a coffee.
Demelza holds a number of events throughout the year, which provide a time for parents and carers to reflect, reminisce and celebrate the life of their child.
We’re here to help
If you have any general questions or would like more information about our family services, please contact our team on 01795 845280 (Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm) or email familysupportdepartment@demelza.org.uk.
Families already supported by Demelza should send any queries about bookings or clinical care to careadministration@demelza.org.uk or call the team on 01795 845270 (Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm).