Haven House was founded on the vision and passion of Sue Irwin (see ). Since 2003 we have been supporting children with life-limiting illnesses and their families in Central and North East London and West Essex.
Vision
To ensure that all children who are life-threatened or who have a range of disabilities and complex health needs together with their families in our area are offered a range of caring, competent and high quality services which respond to their needs.
Mission
We aim to identify all of the children (0-19) who meet our criteria and work with their families to advocate for services which could be located either in the community or in the hospice.
The multi-disciplinary team take the lead in ensuring that each child and family receives safe and timely high-quality care which is chosen to meet the child's individual needs delivered by a caring, compassionate and competent team.
We aim to take every opportunity to network, collaborate and learn from the contribution of all local and external partners.
Values
Children and their families are at the centre of everything we do.
We aim to be an employer of choice for staff by offering continuing professional development to meet their full potential.
Integrity is of the upmost importance in all that we strive for at Haven House. Our aim is to be open, transparent and respectful in all our working practices by creating a culture that is both diverse and inclusive of all.
Our History
The Haven House Foundation was set up in 1995 to develop a centre of excellence to meet the needs of families of children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. It was recognised that these families faced huge emotional and physical demands with little support. This centre would provide short breaks for the children, thus giving respite to their carers, and would also provide end of life care at the appropriate time.
In 2000 the lease was secured on The White House, a house built in 1906 in woodland in Woodford Green, and the building was refurbished to meet the high standards that would be required to care for the complex needs of the children who would be using the service. At the same time it was important to achieve a homely environment and to retain the character of the building.
In 2001 Haven House was able to open its first service, Home Loan, providing specialist toys and equipment to families with life-limited children in their own homes.
The first four bedrooms and living areas were completed by August 2003 and Haven House was then able to take its first child. The remaining rooms were completed by the end of 2004. The building now contains 5 bedrooms, a bereavement suite and family room, family accommodation, a spa bathroom, a craft room, a sensory room and spacious living areas. Outside there is a specialist play area for disabled children and many acres of woodland. Please for a virtual tour of The White House and its grounds.
Haven House continues to develop its services to life-limited children, their parents and carers, and their brothers and sisters. See for more details.
"Children’s Hospices UK is the national voice for children's hospice services and the children and families they care for. We strive to ensure that the estimated 20,000 life-limited children in the UK, and their families, have access to the unique range of services children's hospices provide."
http://www.childhospice.org.uk
"ACT is the first and only organisation in the UK concerned with the needs of all children with life-shortening conditions and their families, regardless of the particular diseases involved. Haven House, along with other hospices for children, is a member of ACT. ACT, in consultation with the membership, publicly launched the Charter for Children with Life-Threatening Conditions and Their Families in June 1993."
http://www.act.org.uk
"Hospice Information is a joint venture between St. Christopher's Hospice and Help the Hospices. It brings together the experience and established reputation for high quality of the Hospice Information Service at St. Christopher's and the national remit and innovative information developments of Help the Hospices. Together, we want to provide a world-class information service for health professionals and members of the public, on UK and international hospice and palliative care."
http://www.hospiceinformation.info
"Help the Hospices is the national charity for the hospice movement, founded in 1984 by Anne, Duchess of Norfolk."
http://www.helpthehospices.org.uk
This web-based resource provides information on the lifelites project, which aims to improve the quality of life for children with life-limiting illnesses, through the use of information technology.
http://www.lifelites.org
Europe's leading cancer information charity, with over 4,500 pages of up-to-date cancer information, practical advice and support for cancer patients, their families and carers.
http://www.cancerbacup.org.uk
KidsHealth provides families with accurate, up-to-date, and jargon-free health information they can use.
http://www.kidshealth.org
Clic Sargent supports families with children suffering from cancer or leukaemia.
http://www.clic.org.uk/
The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is the only UK charity focusing on all muscular dystrophies and allied disorders. It has pioneered the search for treatments and cures for over 40 years and provides practical, medical and emotional support to people affected by the condition.
http://www.muscular-dystrophy.org/
The Mission of the Jennifer Trust for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (JTSMA) is to be there for everyone affected by or involved with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), providing support and information, and investing in research. The JTSMA is the only British organisation dedicated to providing support, care, information and the funding of research into SMA.
http://www.jtsma.org.uk/
The Batten Disease Family Association (BDFA) was created in 1998 to support and help families, carers and professionals, who have contact with a child with Batten disease.
http://www.bdfa-uk.org.uk/index.htm
For help and support with conditions relating to the heart.
http://www.bhf.org.uk/index.asp
The Contact a Family Directory Online has lots of information on specific conditions and rare disorders in children and young people.
http://www.cafamily.org.uk/Idx/m.html
This website from the Department of Health provides details about services or benefits affecting carers.
http://www.carers.gov.uk/
This government site brings together information on public services, and includes sections health services, caring for a child or adult and disability.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/CaringForSomeone/fs/en
RADAR is an organisation campaigning for better lifestyles for disabled people and their families.
http://www.radar.org.uk/RANE/Templates/frontpage.asp?lHeaderID=2
NHS Direct has a wealth of information about illnesses and conditions and also links to other organisations.
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Contact a Family is the only UK-wide charity providing advice, information and support to the parents of all disabled children - no matter what their health condition. They also enable parents to get in contact with other families, both on a local and national basis.
http://www.cafamily.org.uk/index.html
Whizz-Kidz provides specialised mobility transport for children, as well as training, information and advice to change the lives of disabled children.
http://www.whizz-kidz.org.uk/Page.asp
This organisation works to help bereaved families.
http://www.childbereavement.org.uk