Care for the child, there for the family
Julia’s House cares for life-limited and life-threatened children in their own homes and at Julia’s House.
Can Julia's House help you?
The aim of Julia's House is to maximise and enrich the quality of life for Dorset children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, their families and all those who are special to them. This is achieved through family-centred respite care and support from diagnosis to death and beyond. This is a preventative strategy intended to strengthen families, protect their health and well-being and allow them to continue to provide loving care at home.
'Palliative care for children and young people is defined as an active and total approach to care, embracing physical, emotional, social and spiritual elements. It focuses on the quality of life for the child and support for the family, and includes the provision of respite and care through death and bereavement'
Ref: ACT/RCPCH Guide 2003
What is respite?
Respite is often referred to as a 'gift of time'.
The benefits to families are:
- opportunities to spend some positive time with their other children
- opportunities to spend time as a couple,
- time to recharge their batteries
- to do those things that there never seems to be time or the opportunity to do.
Respite also gives the affected child a chance to socialise with other individuals.
On a practical level it is the introduction of a team of care staff who take over the care of the child for a short period on a regular basis. This care is aimed at enhancing the quality of the child's life, not replacing care that should be provided by statutory agencies such as the social or personal care provided by social services.
What services do we offer?
- a community service where carers will care for the child in the family home
- a day care service where children attend care sessions at the hospice, which includes weekends. Here the children have access to special equipment and toys, a play activity area, a multi-sensory therapy room, and the family will also be able to enjoy a relaxing and peaceful environment.
- we are also gradually extending our service to include overnight care.
Is there any cost to clients?
Julia's House does not charge clients or their families for any of the services offered. At present 95 per cent of our services are funded by donations from the local community.
Who are we?
The Senior Nursing Team consists of qualified children's nurses.
Care Team members come from a wide range of backgrounds.
Each member of the Care Team undertakes the following training:
- Competencies are used to provide and continually assess staff to ensure they have the practical skills (e.g. suction ) to care for clients with a wide range of needs
- Safeguarding (child protection)
- Full resuscitation (CPR and mouth to mouth)
- Play training
- Regular supervision with Lead Nurse and external professionals
All care staff have in place an Enhanced Criminal Record Bureau check.
How do I make a referral?
Julia's House operates an open referral system which means we accept referrals from
- professionals from childcare services ( social services, health, and education )
- parents or guardians
- other family members
- child themselves
What is required is signed consent from a parent or guardian, and written confirmation from a medical practitioner that the child fits the criteria below:
- Is suffering from a life-limiting and/or life-threatening condition (specifying child's known diagnosis).
- Is resident in Dorset
- Fits the age range from birth up to the nineteenth birthday. Please note, after sixteen years of age, the referral will be accepted at the discretion of the Directors of Care.
To discuss our services and for a referral form please call us, or talk to your childcare services. All conversations will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Julia's House Hospice, 135 Springdale Road, Corfe Mullen, Broadstone, Dorset BH18 9BP
Tel: 01202 389837 Fax: 01202389841
Julia's House Appeals Office, Unit F1, Arena Business Centre, Holyrood Close, Poole, Dorset, BH17 7FP
Tel: 01202 607400 Fax: 01202 607401
Download a copy of our leaflet a guide for parents
Take a virtual tour of the hospice
Look at information from other useful organisations on our links page
