Children’s palliative care is about comfort, dignity and helping bring moments of joy to families - Vicki Greensmith

Children’s palliative care differs from any other form of healthcare, yet its importance can be overshadowed by the stigma surrounding death, and the idea that it’s associated with ‘giving up’. At Martin House, we work to break down these barriers, placing children at the heart of their care, and helping them and their families enjoy the fullest life possible, despite the challenges and uncertainty.

Hospices play a crucial role in the community, often present in the lives of families long-term, as children’s palliative care sometimes runs alongside active treatment and may be needed over many years.

Martin House provides tailored medical care, manages pain and symptoms, and offers emotional and psychological support, as well as practical help for families who are navigating a complex, often daunting journey, sometimes even before they have a diagnosis.

Understanding the toll that caring for an ill child can have on parents, siblings and the wider family, both emotionally and physically, is something that cannot be underestimated.

It’s something that people rarely talk about, but that we know, from supporting numerous families over the years, can be extremely difficult and lonely. For this reason, we offer community care and specialist respite, providing crucial support for families when they need it most.

We’re keen to ensure that our facilities are a place where young people can go to receive specialist medical care, but also where children and their families can find a sense of support, normalcy and even joy. I’ve worked at Martin House for eight years and I’ve seen firsthand the profound impact that comes from creating moments of joy, play and quality family-time.

After completing phase one of our current fundraising campaign, THE BUILD, we recently opened a brand-new, children’s wing with all required clinical facilities, including nine bedrooms with piped oxygen and integrated hoists.

However, it was so important for us to prioritise wellbeing – creating a ‘home away from home’ with woodland-themed bedrooms, private gardens, art room, playroom, lounge and dining area, all designed to feel safe, fun and to enable children to just be children.

Since we opened our doors in 1987, Martin House has supported numerous children and families across Yorkshire. As the demand for specialised children’s palliative care continues to grow, children’s hospices are more essential than ever in meeting that need.

I want professionals and families to understand the positive impact hospice care can have. We work alongside colleagues to ensure effective symptom management, a better quality of life and compassionate end of life care for every child and young person we support.

Thanks to advances in medicine, many children and young people with life limiting illnesses are now living longer, but with that comes more complex needs. To meet these challenges head-on, Martin House launched THE BUILD campaign in 2024, a £21.9m redevelopment of our hospice that will ensure the facility is able to continue providing the highest standard of care.

We now have a dedicated cooled bedroom suite where families can spend time with children after their death, giving them precious time to say goodbye in their own way and begin to grieve with support. It’s one of the many ways the hospice is helping to break down the stigma around death, honouring each child’s life and giving families space to remember.

In the next stage of THE BUILD, we’re looking to create a dedicated teenagers’ wing with tailored spaces for privacy and independence along with their very own Love Island style outdoor courtyard, designed with the young people we support at Martin House.

We will also introduce a hydrotherapy pool designed to manage children’s symptoms, ease muscle spasms and provide freedom for children with movement disorders, while providing essential time for family bonding.

Children’s hospices offer a place where families can find peace, hope and support in the most difficult times. It is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, care and compassion can make all the difference.

Vicki Greensmith is director of clinical services at Martin House Children's Hospice.