WORKING WITH CHILDREN WITH

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WORKING WITH CHILDREN WITH LIFE LIMITING
CONDITIONS Val Hobbs
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• 33 Residential, 11 day places - open 52 weeks.
• Education, Therapy and Care.
• Interdisciplinary Team / Developmental
  Curriculum.
• 24 hour medical cover.
• Specialist Services for children and young
  people with complex medical needs, degenerative
  conditions and additional sensory impairments.
• 11 support for some pupils.

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• Complex Medical needs Not unwell.
• However
• AN AVERAGE OF 2 PUPILS DIE EACH YEAR

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• Initial Interview.
• Induction Training.
• Bereavement Policy.
• Regular Bereavement training available.
• Death Factor in budgeting process.

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• ANXIETY / UNCERTAINTY
• Medically vulnerable pupils.
• 11 Support staff.
• Night staff Thamesdoc or 999.
• Unexpected, not the young person you are
  thinking about.
• Unexpected for family too.
• Sense of relief release from suffering.

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• TRAUMATIC
• For the young person.
• For the staff.
• For peers.

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• STRUCTURE / SUPPORT
• Inform family.
• Hospital.
• School.
• Home.
• Medical team talk to family / staff

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• STRUCTURE / SUPPORT
• Candle and flowers.
• Phone off duty staff.
• Inform other parents / families (with consent).
• Social Worker available for support.

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• Maintain a sense of normality for other pupils
  and staff.
• Be aware of the need for time to grieve.
• Open discussion and support.
• Families welcomed and involved.
• Pupils included and involved in the grieving
  process.
• Experienced staff support less experienced.

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• Attendance at funeral.
• Memorial Services / Life celebration
• Memory book / school work, portfolios, RoAs.
• Yearly Service of Remembrance.

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• You explain to us when we start at St
  Margarets, its something we are clear about
  when we start work here.
• Sometimes its a real shock when its someone
  you think is really well, thats when its more
  difficult.
• Training is good, it helps, it builds a sense
  of confidence in being able to do things. Risk
  Assessments help too.

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• We appreciate that you call us to tell us if
  were off duty. We can prepare ourselves. The
  candle helps too, its a mark of respect.
• Each situation is different and is dealt with
  differently. Like with Carlos, his mum said
  staff could see him in the Chapel of Rest and
  that was set up for us.

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• Although we werent invited to Helens funeral,
  we had the Memorial Service when people could
  say something and we let off the balloon.
• We can go to the funeral if we want to, other
  staff hold the fort they understand. Not
  everyone wants to go, they support by staying
  behind.
• I like the memory books. I like to read what
  people have said. The families appreciate them,
  they read them for a long time.

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• We find ways to help the other pupils to
  grieve. We can play favourite pieces of music,
  pass round favourite toys or objects, talk about
  them.
• We offer lots of support to families. They
  sometimes need to come back and see us quite a
  lot and we are happy for them to do that.

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• The pupils here exceed our expectations. They
  lead very full lives.
• Most of our pupils spend most of their active
  lives here with us. They have a good time here.
  There is lots of learning. There are lots of
  activities, outings, holidays including activity
  holidays. We dont wrap them in cotton wool.