What we doRespite care

Respite care

Respite stays at the Sister Margaret Noone Hospice at Very Special Kids House offer fun, engaging and therapeutic activities in a home away from home environment for your child or young person.

They will be surrounded by the very best care from our doctors, nurses, carers, allied health professionals and trained volunteers, so you can relax knowing they are in good hands. Take a break for a couple of days or take a short holiday with your partner or other children knowing that your child is receiving expert, medically supported care around the clock.

Our team will work with you to create a personal care plan for your child’s stay, tailored to their individual medical, emotional, cultural, religious and spiritual needs.

It’s really fun. You can’t really mention Very Special Kids to Wil because he will go and pack his bag because he thinks he’s going to stay there. It is his favourite place in the whole world.

Mel, mum to Wil who has a CBL gene mutation that presents like Noonan syndrome.

Allied health

We provide a versatile range of allied health services to complement our holistic approach to care for children and young people.

Music therapy

A boy is playing on a drum kit, his breathing tubes are visible A child’s wellbeing and quality of life can be enhanced by music – fostering joy and happiness. Our music therapist creatively adapts music to meet the physical, developmental, sensory, cognitive, emotional, and social needs of the children and families.

Physiotherapy

A woman is kneeling next to a child using physiotherapy equipment Our physiotherapist provides individualised care for children and young people during their stay in the hospice. This includes respiratory assessment and management, non-pharmacological approaches for pain relief, assisting with appropriate positioning to aid participation in activities, enhancing mobility and independence.

Aquatic physiotherapy

A girl is swimming in a pool, helped by an adult Our physiotherapist will be able to provide individualised aquatic physiotherapy sessions for children and young people during a hospice stay. Benefits of this include – a sense of freedom; increased independence; reduced stiffness and tension; pain relief; muscle strengthening; improved fitness; social interaction; an opportunity for a shared experience with family; memory making and lots of FUN!

Creative therapy

An adolescent and a woman are sitting at a table making things with slime Through play and creative experiences, children and young people can process a range of social, emotional, behavioural and mental health challenges. Play therapy is an evidence-based approach for working with children based on the premise that play is a child’s first language, and that play is therapeutic.

Occupational therapy

A boy is crawling through soft play equipment Occupational therapy is essential in promoting participation in meaningful activities such as play and access to technology. Our occupational therapist aims to increase a child’s levels of independence and improve their quality of life.

Jaffa, our therapy dog

A dog is lying on the grass outside, there are people in the background Therapy dogs, such as our lovely Jaffa, help to create a relaxed environment so children and young people can feel comfortable, settled and supported. She not only provides physical comfort to assist children in regulating their emotions when adapting to new and unfamiliar situations, but her interventions also provide pure joy.