Nursing Team
The Pepper Foundation funds childrens hospice at home care, specialist nursing, play support, and respite visits for children with life-limiting illness and their families. This service is provided at no cost to families.
Supporting families with children’s hospice at home care
The Pepper Foundation funds both specialist Children’s Hospice at Home nursing and specialist play across Bucks and Herts.
A team of nurses offer specialist palliative nursing care to children and young people up to 19 years of age with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness. The Pepper nurses work with families to provide care and support for each child in their own home and are available to families all year round.
In addition to nursing care, families can also benefit from time with our Play Specialist, who provides in-home play sessions that allow children with life-limiting conditions to experience the joy of play.
In giving children the choice to be cared for at home, amongst the people and things they love, the aim is to ensure their lives are as happy and comfortable as possible, however short that life may be. The Children’s Hospice at Home Service is provided at no cost to patients or their families. Pepper relies on the generosity of our local community to help raise funds for this vital nursing care.
You can help us to fund this vital support by making a donation today.
Families incur no charge for using this service
What does the service provide?
- Symptom control and management with specialist paediatric palliative care medical support
- Hands-on nursing care
- End of life care to enable a child and family to remain in his or her own home when they want to
- Short break care, usual around three hours. May include social activities for the child where appropriate
- 24/7 telephone link which families can access for advice, support and visits when required
- Emotional support for the child and the family
- Pre and post bereavement support for parents
- Annual social event programme
- Support with transition into adult services
We recognise that a life-limiting illness does not just affect the patient; the rest of the family are also affected.
Family support has always been an integral part of the team’s philosophy of care.
Family Days and Social Activities
The Pepper Foundation also run a series of family events throughout the year. The aim of the event programme is to give families the opportunity to spend time together and meet other families in similar circumstances.
Our aim is to provide an environment where families can attend events with suitable accessible facilities. This can include fun days out for the whole family, such as to the zoo or a specialist leisure facility, or sessions at an accessible soft play centre. We also arrange social events for parents, such as coffee mornings. All Pepper run events are provided at no cost to the families, and if required we can even facilitate travel for those families with significant mobility challenges.
We want families to feel supported and can have fun whilst making memories and friends along the way.
If you would like to support these events by making a donation or making a pledge to support a particular event then please contact our fundraising team on 01442 507324.