Patient and Family Centred Care

Child Life Therapy (CLT) provides individualised support to patients to promote effective coping strategies and make the hospital experience more positive, especially during medical procedures.

The Comfort Kids Program, supported by Woolworths through the Good Friday Appeal, aims to reduce the pain, anxiety and distress associated with medical procedures for children and young people receiving treatment at The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH).  

Child Life Therapy (CLT) provides individualised support to patients to promote effective coping strategies and make the hospital experience more positive, especially during medical procedures.

Approximately 50 per cent of children admitted to The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) will require a peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC), also known as a cannula or drip.

The Royal Children’s Hospital’s (RCH) Apheresis Service conducts approximately over 200 procedures each year, with the need for the service continuing to increase. Thanks to the 3AW and the Good Friday Appeal, the Apheresis Service has been able to meet the needs of critically ill children and young people at the RCH.

Around 14 per cent of children and young people aged four to 17 years are affected by mental illness over any 12-month period. Even more children may struggle with mental health symptoms, especially if they have an underlying chronic illness.

For three decades, the Chronic Illness Peer Support (ChIPS) program at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) has been a beacon of hope for young people aged 12 to 25 living with chronic illnesses.

Getting out in nature has many benefits, including reducing levels of stress. For patients in hospital, having access to a garden not only improves their mood but has been proven to reduce blood pressure and pain, while also improving recovery time and offering an environment for children and young people to engage with their peers.