2022: OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

Our care is flexible and responsive. We are there wherever a family needs us, providing support tailored to their unique and ever-changing needs. Respite care at home or in the hospital, a massage for an anxious mum, or time away from home and hot chocolate for a sibling.

Evolving care service

Maintained continuity of care and kept hospices on emergency standby to assist the NHS during the pandemic

• Offered additional capacity to the NHS from Jan – Mar 2022, as hospices remained closed for regular respite sessions although always remained open for end of life care.

• Brought children back to the hospice in groups from April to keep them safe.

• Community-based care was delivered, with over 2,000 respite care sessions in homes.

• Events such as our JH Rocks Festival at the hospices and the Julia’s House Garden Party were held again, providing vital social interaction for children and families who had spent so much of the last two years in isolation.

• Increased family support and advice to help families during cost of living crisis. Julia’s House families were among the hardest hit - children with complex disabilities cannot move around to generate their own warmth; wheelchairs, hoists, and life-saving oxygen and suction monitors require power.

Expanded our Family Support Services team

• New Family Support Services Lead Nurse joined to head the team, providing a clinical overview and holistic approach to the support we provide for the whole family and helping us to meet increasing demand for services.

• Six new staff recruited into our Family Support Services team, providing vital practical and emotional support to families, focused play development for the children and the chance of time just for them through our programme of sibling 1:1 visits and fun events.

Further developed specialist medical cover for end-of-life care

• A Memorandum of Understanding was established with Naomi House to secure support from palliative care consultants based at Southampton Hospital, leading to closer collaboration and a greater choice in place of care for children nearing the end of life. Current external service pressures have meant this arrangement is temporarily on hold. We hope it will be re-established in 2023.

Supported and enhanced the mental health and well-being of children, families and staff

Our counselling service saw increased demand, with nearly 100 counselling sessions provided to children, siblings and parents.

• At the end of 2022, our first Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioner was appointed to further strengthen our support to families and staff.

30 new children joined the Julia’s House family Sadly, 9 children we cared for died last year 9

92% of children needed two Julia’s House staff at a session because of their complex needs