Signposts – Useful Information For Families
Medical and support staff will provide as much information as possible to a family regarding the medical condition of their child. Once a diagnosis has been received, other organisations may be able to provide additional useful information to support a child and family. Many of these organisations are Charities.
Useful video: Animated film explains hospital visits for children
North Devon Hospital Link
To find out more about the North Devon Hospital and in particular the Caroline Thorpe Children’s Ward that Care for Kids North Devon is supporting, please look at the Hospital’s website on:
Organisations providing wishes and holidays for Children with Life Limiting Conditions:
Providing Days out 
at the Beach Hut at Saunton Beach
Family Tickets to Watermouth Castle & Combe Martin Wildlife Park
Days away from the hospital environment for patients, siblings and their families / carers
Short Breaks available on referral from a health care professional
Contact 07900106327 or email info.everythingellie@gmail.com
or cancer and living away from home at specialist children’s hospitals. CLIC Sargent also funds local CLIC Nurses who assist families with the treatment of children throughout their illness; these nurses are often described as invaluable by the families of children in treatment.
0121 711 8982 Dream Makers website
When You Wish Upon a Star fulfills the wishes of children with life threatening and terminal illnesses.
0115 979 1720 When you Wish Upon A Star
Rays of Sunshine exists to improve the lives of terminally and serious ill children aged between the ages of 3 and 18 in the United Kingdom. They grant the wishes of terminally and seriously ill children, however impossible that wish may seem. They also purchase equipment such as electronic wheelchairs or specialist keyboards, to make their lives easier.
020 8782 1171 Rays of sunshine
Make-A-Wish aims to grant magical wishes to children and young people aged between 3 and 17 fighting life-threatening illnesses.
0117 967 8819 Make-a-wish
01493731235 NHF Charity
020 8940 2575 React charity
Happy Days Children’s Charity provide one-off grants for family holidays in the UK for children and young people aged 3 to 17 years who have special needs or are terminally ill.
01582 755999 Happy days charity
Dream-A-Way is a charity based in Exeter providing holidays and day trips for people of all ages with any disability. Dream-A-Way have 8 well equipped mobile homes (2 with wheelchair access) at Sandy Bay, Exmouth. Dream-A-Way will endeavour to assist families and individuals make their dreams come true.
01392 823998 Dream-a-way
Dreamflight is a charity whose purpose is to send seriously ill children 8 – 14 years old on their “Holiday of a Lifetime” to the theme parks in central Florida.
01494 722733 Dream flight
Starlight Children’s Foundation: The Starlight Children’s Foundation brightens the lives of seriously and terminally ill children aged between 4 and 18 by granting their wishes. Starlight cannot accept referrals by telephone, but if you have any questions please call
020 7262 2881 and ask to speak to the Children’s Services Department. Starlight
Caudwell Children: Caudwell Children is a trust who aim to change the world for special children by making direct donations of specialist equipment, therapy, treatment and dieing-wish holiday.
0845 300 1348 Caudwell children
The Torbay Holiday Helpers Network is a network of hotels, accommodation providers, tourist attractions and businesses who are all committed to helping give away free holidays, services and experiences to families who have terminally ill, seriously ill and recently bereaved children.
01803 327353 THHN
Services and Support for Families
The Natural Approach teaches horsemanship skills and uses Equine Facilitated therapy to instil in youngsters and adults the qualities sought after in life to enable them to grow and develop, helping them to reach their full potential for a brighter future.By learning to leave past issues in the past they can acquire a sense of achievement by improving their confidence and establishing assertiveness without aggression, they learn self control and self worth – improving mental and physical well being. Horses have the ability to bring issues to the surface quickly so a recovery or learning programme can be put into place sooner rather than later.
The Natural Approach provides equine facilitated therapy for those suffering with low self esteem, depression & anxiety, abuse, trauma or physical & mental illness ill health. Team building sessions for families and groups of individuals including corporate sessions are available.
By teaching individuals to move forwards with confidence and an open heart, we show both horses and humans that anything is possible and anything can be achieved in life with true belief.
For further information visit click here
For further information or to find a group near you click here
ACT: ACT is the UK wide charity working to achieve the best possible quality of life and care for every child and young person who is not expected to reach adulthood. Hearing the news that your child has a health condition that is life-threatening or will shorten their life is devastating. It’s a time when families need care, support and information. ACT aims to help families every step of the way.0845 108 2201. ACT
The British Heart Foundation: The aim of the British Heart Foundation (BHF) is to play a leading role in the fight against heart disease so that it is no longer a major cause of disability and premature death. They work with teenagers with heart conditions in various activities.
Head Office: 020 7554 0000. Devon regional coordinator: 01822 612310 Websites for young people are: yheart (for 11yrs and under) www.yheart.net/meet (for 13-19 years with congenital heart conditions) cbhf (for 11 years and under) yoobot (for 11 years and over)
The Heart Centre, Combe Martin is the registered head office for The Natural Approach group and other Heart Centres around the country.The centres provide advice, guidance, support, counselling, workshops & holistic therapies for families and individuals who have suffered/ing from abuse, trauma, grief, ill health, physical or mental disability, as well as assistance to those suffering with low self esteem, depression or anxiety, poverty or children with learning and/or behaviour issues.
The Heart centre works with local support groups and organisations to ensure that support is available wherever and whenever it is needed. Our partners include local schools, children’s centres, Splitz, Woman’s Aid, Depression & Anxiety Services (DAS), Devon Integrated children’s services, Devon parent partnerships, Cruse Bereavement Care, The Oak Centre, WAND, Bright FUTURES (Young carers), Project Search, Feardom Fighters, NHS & Social services. As well as being supported by The Big Lunch Extra courtesy of The Eden Project, National Lottery and support by the Halifax.
For further information or to find your nearest centre click here
We assist schools, nurseries and local organisations with education and team building within the beautiful surroundings. Plants and produce are grown and sold to raise income for the project, as well as kitchen workshops on how to produce chutneys and jams in the great outdoors.
For further information click here
Children’s Hospice South West: Little Bridge House, Barnstaple. The Children’s Hospice’s mission is to care for life-limited and life-threatened children, and their families. They aim to offer very sick children, and their families, respite and relaxation in a home from home environment; friendship and emotional support; and the opportunity to live life, however brief, as fully as possible.
01271 325270 CHSW
Lyn Financial Services: Independent Financial Advisers and Mortgage Brokers in North Devon & Somerset.
This website offers you basic product information for mortgages, life assurance, mortgage protection, critical illness cover, income protection, accident sickness and unemployment cover, investment bonds and annuities.
https://www.lynfinancialservices.co.uk/
https://www.lifeassureonline.co.uk/
This service isn’t funded by Care for Kids. Counselling Directory only lists qualified counsellors and psychotherapists. We give you the widest choice of support to meet your personal needs –Counselling-directory
Bereavement Services including support before an expected death
Cruse: Cruse Bereavement Care exists to support those who have been bereaved by providing practical support and emotional support. Specialist bereavement support volunteers see clients under the age of 16 for face-to-face sessions either at school or in the young person’s own home. No charge is made for this service.Exeter and District
01392 272406 South Devon 01626 332450 Cruse
Families in Grief (FiG): Families in Grief (FiG) supports children, young people and their families living in North Devon and Torridge who have experienced the death of someone close. There is no charge for these groups and anyone may refer a family, although they suggest that the groups will be most helpful at least 6 months after the bereavement.
01237477238 Families in grief
Childhood Bereavement Network: The Childhood Bereavement Network works to ensure that all children and young people in the UK can easily access a choice of high quality local and national information, guidance and support to enable them to manage the impact of death of their lives.020 7843 6309 Childhood Bereavement Network
020 8457 9710 jbcs
Jeremiah’s Journey: Jeremiah’s Journey is made up of a team of individuals, experience in working with bereaved children and their parents or carers. They are able to provide information and support to children who have experienced or are anticipating the death of someone special to them. The main part of what we provide is a group programme for bereaved children and their families. The Mustard Tree, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth.01752 763666 Jeremiahs journey
SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society) The Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society support anyone affected by the death of a baby.020 7436 5881 Sands
Brake, the Road Safety Charity: Brake is a Registered national Charity which aims to care for people, who are bereaved or affected by serious injury in a road crash.
0845 603 8570 Brake
Epilepsy Bereaved: Epilepsy Bereaved is an organisation working to support those bereaved by SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) and other epilepsy deaths.01235 772852 Sudep
Hope Again: Hope Again is a website developed by Cruse which aims to support young people, after the death of someone close to them.
0808 808 1677 Hope Again
01392 826065 Balloons devon
Child Death Helpline: The Child Death Helpline is a national freephone listening servie for anyone affected by the death of a child of any age, under any circumstances, however long ago. Staffed by trained, volunteer, bereaved parents, it offers emotional support.0800 282 986 Child Death Helpline
Winston’s Wish: Winston’s Wish helps bereaved children and young people rebuild their lives after a family death. They offer practical support and guidance to families, professionals and to anyone concerned about a a grieving child.
The Foundation for the Study of Infant Death is one of the UK’s leading baby charities working to prevent sudden infant deaths and promote baby health. the Foundation supports families whose baby has dies suddenly and unexpectedly.
080 8802 6868 Lullaby trust
Meningitis Research Foundation: The Meningitis Research Foundation aims to help relieve the distress to individuals and families caused by death and damage through meningitis and associated infections.
0808 800 3344 Meningitis Research Foundation
CRY (Caridac Risk in the Young): CRY is an organistion for families or young people (14-35) who have died from a heart condition. CRY offers counselling help to these families.
National Autistic Society: The National Autistic Society produce a fact sheet which covers the difficult issues of helping a child with autism to cope with the death of someone known to them.0845 108 2201 National Autistic Society
Practical Issues after a Child has Died
0845 155 1002. Registration_districts_in_devon
The Devon Registration Service enables the public to register births and deaths and give notice of marriage or civil partnership at an office which is convenient to them.
0845 155 1002. Registration_districts_in_devon
Bereavement-register
Some Charities assisting those suffering from a life-threatening condition are listed below with relevant website addresses:
British Heart Foundation:
www.bhf.org.uk
Children’s Heart Foundation:
www.chfed.org.uk
Cystic Fibrosis Trust:
www.cftrust.co.uk
Head Injury:
Headway:
www.headway.org.uk
Brain Line:
www.brainline.org/headinjuries
Brain Research Trust:
www.brt.org.uk
Child Brain Injury Trust:
www.childbraininjury.org.uk
Cerebra:
www.cerebra.org.uk
Burns:
www.childburn.org
Liver Disease:
www.childliverdisease.org