Live chat Donate Open / Close Search Call the Helpline 0808 8088 100 Search HomepageChanging LivesIntroduction to children’s palliative care Introduction to children’s palliative care Children’s palliative care is about promoting the best possible quality of life and care for every child with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition and their family. Giving families real choice has been key to this approach: a choice of place of care; a choice of place of death; and a choice of emotional and bereavement support. What is children’s palliative care? Palliative care for children and young people is an active and total approach to care, from the point of diagnosis, throughout the child’s life, death and beyond. It embraces physical, emotional, social and spiritual elements and focuses on the enhancement of quality of life for the child or young person and support for the whole family. It includes the management of distressing symptoms, provision of short breaks, care at the end of life and bereavement support. Palliative care can be introduced at any point throughout a child’s life; it is completely individual. Some children may require palliative care from birth; others only as their condition deteriorates. Families may also vary as to whether they wish to pursue treatments aimed to cure or significantly prolong life. In practice, palliative care should be offered from diagnosis of a life-shortening condition or from recognition that curative treatment for a life-threatening condition is not an option. However, each situation is different and care should be tailored to the child. The Together for Short Lives Charter  was developed with families and sets out 10 key things that children and families should expect from their local children’s palliative care services. Based on the underlying principles of dignity and respect the Charter is a key reference to help understand what children’s palliative care should strive to look like: trying to ensure that all children and families receive appropriate palliative care underpins all the work that Together for Short Lives undertakes. Supporting better care Together for Short Lives is committed to ensuring that children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions receive the best palliative care and support they can. Children’s palliative care is provided by a wide range of professionals and services, and we provide information and resources to both families and professionals to help them navigate the system and achieve the best outcomes for children they can. Our website contains a host of information, and you can also contact our helpline for information. Introduction to children’s palliative care NICE guidelines Withdrawing life-sustaining treatment Categories of life-limiting conditions Downloads Together for Short Lives Charter Together for Short Lives Guide to Palliative Care Helpline Get support by phone Find a service Our directory of care services Family information Info and resources for parents Digital care forum Connect with fellow professionals Resources and research For medical professionals You may also be interested in Categories of CPC There are four broad categories of children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions NICE Guidelines Together for Short Lives has helped to support the implementation of NICE guidelines on palliative care Withdrawing life-sustaining treatement Withdrawing any life-sustaining treatment is one of the most difficult areas of clinical practice Together for Short Lives Suite 1b, Whitefriars, Lewins Mead, Bristol, BS1 2NT Tel: 0117 989 7820 Changing Lives Get Support Get Involved About Us Join us Members Make a donation Helpline News and Comment Media contacts Contact us Sitemap Terms & Conditions Cookies Privacy policy All rights reserved - © 2021 Together for Short Lives Together for Short Lives is a registered charity in England and Wales (1144022) and Scotland (SC044139) and is a company limited by guarantee (7783702). Huge thanks to the John Ellerman Foundation for funding our website. Website by Design Culture We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. More Information. I am happy to accept the cookies