Impact Report 2015/2016 | Page 4

making a difference: for the child A s you’d expect, children are at the centre of everything we do. But a child might use Acorns for many different reasons. Perhaps a short stay and play session, a longer overnight break or for care at the end of their life. Regardless of why they’re with us, the specialist, flexible and quality care we offer is constant and second to none. That’s because we have a comprehensive understanding of the needs of the children and young people we’re here to support. This expertise means that we can tailor our services to the assessed needs of the child. We can also be flexible over where care is provided, whether within the hospice, the family home or the community. 4 The short breaks we offer give children the chance to take advantage of fun, therapeutic experiences, which improve physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing. We accept and prioritise every referral for end of life care and can respond quickly and sensitively to each one no matter the timeframe. After their death, children and young people can stay in our temperature controlled special bedrooms so they can be cared for and visited by their family until their funeral whenever they choose. That’s not possible in a hospital. Young people approaching 18 are prepared for the move to adult services through a programme of transition, building resilience and increasing confidence.