Childlife

Born too soon

Sam and Mike are Mum and Dad to Alexus, Natalie and Rachel. They are supported by Childlife member charity, Acorns Children’s Hospice. Mike tells us their story: “Our twin girls, Alexus and Natalie, were born at 23 weeks. When born that early a baby’s lungs are not fully developed...

16 December 2021
Short breaks provide safety net

Acorns Children’s Hospice isn’t only about end of life care. It’s about enabling children and families to live life to the full, with the emotional, clinical and medical care they need – often over many years. This can include tailored nursing care during short breaks in the hospice and...

18 November 2021
Facing ataxia’s huge challenges

Oli is 12 years old and has Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA). In Year 6 he kept falling over at school and was sent straight to hospital where he stayed for a week. In that time, he had scans, blood tests, more scans, a lumbar puncture and then a genetic test,...

18 November 2021
Making a difference for deaf children

The National Deaf Children’s Society is a key voice in the deaf community, representing deaf children, young people and their families as an advocate and policy influencer. One of the ways they support deaf children is through Children’s Hearing Services Working Groups (CHSWGs), affectionately known as ‘Chizzywigs’. CHSWGs are...

18 November 2021
Working together with schools to improve wellbeing

The Covid-19 pandemic has been one of the most challenging times that schools have ever faced. They have achieved a remarkable amount in making sure that children and young people have been kept safe whilst able to continue learning. However, lockdowns and subsequent changes within the school environment are...

18 November 2021
Our Minds, Our Future

NCB in Northern Ireland is working with the Youth Access, Scottish Youth Parliament, SAMH, ProMo Cymru and Hafal, to transform mental health for young people. Working closely with young people, they have created the Our Minds, Our Future charter, which details the top priorities for improving mental health services....

04 November 2021
Living with ataxia in a pandemic

We asked Laura, Mum to 10-year-old Kayden, how the last year or so has been for her and her family, and how the future looks for them in a post-pandemic world. “My son, Kayden, loves Gloucester rugby, playing football for the local learning disability football team, cooking and cycling....

17 June 2021
Uniting against bullying

If you have children or grandchildren or work with young people, you will almost certainly have heard of Anti-Bullying Week (ABW). The annual event is spearheaded by the Anti Bullying Alliance, part of Childlife member charity, the National Children’s Bureau. Held in the third week of November, Anti-Bullying Week...

16 June 2021
A happy environment

Haniya and her family are supported by Acorns Children’s Hospice, though Mum Shabana was initially hesitant, feeling it might not be right for her, but now it’s a favourite place to go and Haniya always has a smile on her face. “I thought it wasn’t somewhere for Haniya, she...

16 June 2021
Living with episodic ataxia

When we last wrote about Jade, now 15, she was eight and loved playing the recorder, horse riding, dance and canoeing. Having been diagnosed as a toddler with episodic ataxia, which affects people in bouts or attacks of unsteadiness lasting hours or days, her Mum Ceri says she has...

16 June 2021

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