Supporting Children and Families

We deliver programs and invest in initiatives that support the health and wellbeing of women, children, and their families under the care of the Women’s and Children’s Health Network.

Working in collaboration with the Hospital’s social work team, we deliver immediate support to families in need through our Family Support Programs. These Programs assist families with the costs related to a child’s hospitalisation or ill health such as emergency transport, accommodation, groceries, utility bills and maintenance of medical equipment to use at home.

We also support the provision of life-changing services to patients and families. From ensuring new parents feel heard and supported to providing teens with coping strategies to manage chronic pain, the programs and initiatives we fund support brilliant care across the Women’s and Children’s Health Network.

Wrap-around care for vulnerable babies

Some of the most vulnerable babies in South Australia will now have access to coordinated care thanks to the new million-dollar Cocoon Program, funded by the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation (WCH Foundation).

The WCH Foundation Cocoon Program is a dedicated clinic for babies under 12 months who are both medically vulnerable and in foster care, or at risk of entering foster care. This is the pilot program’s first year.

Animal Assisted Therapy

The Animal Assisted Therapy program was launched in the Hospital’s Paediatric Rehabilitation Department in 2016. The ‘Dog Team’ has become another ‘tool’ that the Department’s staff can access as part of the rehabilitation program for children receiving treatment at the Hospital. Read on to find out more information about our Animal Assisted Therapy program and how you can support this initiative.

Hearing the voice of the child through Art Therapy

Patients receiving end-of-life care at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH), as well as their families, have the opportunity to explore and express their emotions and communicate thoughts and feelings when they are unable to find the words through illness and into bereavement. Art Therapy is offered as an integral part of the Paediatric Palliative Care Service (PPCS).

Free transport for patients with sickle cell disease

The WCH Foundation is providing free transport to patients with sickle cell disease at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) to support them in making it to their regular appointments.

The WCH Haematology/Oncology Unit cares for approximately 40 patients per year with sickle cell disease, with patient numbers on the rise.

Milestone moments for the tiniest babies

The Women’s and Children’s Health Network NICU admits approximately 150 babies a year born at less than 32 weeks gestation.

We have provided funding for the creation of NICU baby books that are customisable and specific to these families. The idea, brought to the WCH Foundation by NICU nurses Natasha Woodall and Robynn Lindner, recognises that milestones for a NICU baby can look very different.

Knitting for teen wellbeing

Inpatients in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Eating Disorder Program are getting crafty to help with their treatment and improve their wellbeing.

For patients with eating disorders, undergoing treatment can cause high levels of mental health distress. During their hospital admission, they are supervised to eat and are monitored for an hour after meals.

Music Therapy expansion at WCH

The WCH Foundation is excited to be growing the Music Therapy service to assist more patients and families under the care of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH)!

In the past 18 months, we’ve undertaken a Music Therapy Project through our Arts in Health program. The aim of this pilot initiative was to expand Music Therapy at the WCH into a hospital-wide service.

Out of Home Care

The Out of Home Care Clinic provides health assessments and reviews for children and young people under the Guardianship of the Chief Executive Officer of the Department for Child Protection. The clinic has relocated to a quieter spot in the Hospital, and we helped create a more welcoming and calming space at this new location with the purchase of much-needed furniture, toys, books, iPads, and sensory aids.

Family-Centred Care

Having a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) can feel isolating and scary. We’ve funded a project that recognises the importance of Parent and Family-Centred Care (PFCC) to develop and improve family connections and resilience during these stays and to facilitate a confident transition home.

Chronic Pain Management

We’ve helped fund the Comfort Ability Program – a one-day workshop run a few times each year to help young people and their parents manage chronic pain and build comfort skills. It focuses on strategies for improving function, sleep, school attendance and overall mental health and wellbeing.