Specialist short breaks
For eligible families, we provide day care and overnight short breaks within the hospice, as well as offering day care in the home and the community.
How we help
Many of the families we support say that at times, they become physically and emotionally exhausted.
This is where our short breaks can be of benefit to the whole family, as they enable everyone to have a much-needed rest.
For a child, a short break can be an exciting opportunity to have a break in our bespoke and accessible facilities with one-to-one care and an opportunity to play and take part in activities.
Specialist short breaks
Specialist short breaks will be offered to families in our blue Circle of Care, who are also able to access the full range of services in our yellow Circle of Care.
Overnight breaks
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. Children and young people who come for a break may also have the chance to enjoy the facilities at Demelza (subject to availability) which include sensory areas, gaming consoles, art and music therapies. Facilities at Demelza Kent also include an adapted outside play area, a cinema room, hydropool and soft play room.
Day care in our hospices
Day care for your child is also offered at Demelza Kent or South East London. They will be looked after by our specialist nursing and care teams. Our experienced teams will provide one-to-one, individualised support, giving them the opportunity to enjoy new experiences and take part in activities tailored to their needs.
Community care
Our community nursing teams provide support in the family home. You can request sessions lasting between two to four hours where one of our specially trained healthcare assistants will visit you to play and support your child or young person in the home environment.
It may also be possible for the healthcare assistant to take your child out for the session. We will personalise each session with fun activities and sensory aids, centred around your child’s specific needs. Our experienced nurses also work with other healthcare professionals to provide clinical care at home, which we can discuss with you.
Step down care
Step down care is for children who are ready to leave hospital but cannot, or are not ready to, go straight home.
If your child has been in hospital, had an operation or their condition has changed, our nursing and care teams can help you learn how to manage new clinical skills, daily routines and medications.
For new parents, if your baby has been born with complex health needs, you may need additional support when leaving hospital for the first time. The nursing and care team can provide training and support, helping you learn to administer medications and care for your baby, supporting your plans to take them home.
We’re here to help
For any queries relating to short breaks please call our Service Administration team on 01795 845270 (10am-4pm, Monday – Friday) or email careadministration@demelza.org.uk.
If you need to contact us during your child’s short break in the hospice, the nursing team can be contacted on 020 8859 9800 (South East London) or 01795 845201 (Kent).
If you're not currently supported by Demelza, please fill out our referral form to see how we can help.