Who We Are
Welcome

Haven House is a happy place that deals with hard events and realities in people's lives. We are not a place where a child simply comes to die, but a 'home from home' in which we care for children and families throughout their lives.

A children's hospice is a place where a child comes to live life as fully as they are able and we are privileged to be a part of this experience.

A life limited child may live for a number of years and our intention is to recognise the value and preciousness of this time together as we support the family over the child's life time. Please look at Our Services to get a fuller picture of all that we do.
Vision and Values

Haven House was founded on the vision and passion of Sue Irwin (see The Founder). Since 2003 we have been supporting children with life-limiting illnesses and their families in Central and North East London and West Essex.

We work with families from many ethnic minority communities and value people of all faiths and none. We recognize that everyone has physical, emotional and spiritual needs and seek to ensure that children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions can live life as fully as they are able. We will always seek to ensure that any experience of end of life care is dignified and compassionate.

Our Commitment is to embrace healing even when there is no cure.

Our Belief: When a child has a life limiting or terminal illness, medicine is not simply enough. Children need families to support and love them from the time of diagnosis. Families need continuing and compassionate support during the child’s lifetime and after their death.

Our Vision: To ensure that life-limited children and their families receive compassionate and appropriate medical, emotional and spiritual support.
The Patrons

still Gary Lucy
still Glen Murphy
still Patsy Palmer
still Ray Winstone
still Vicki Michelle
still Rabbi Maurice Michaels
The Rt Reverend Thomas McMahon, Bishop of Brentwood
still Eleanor Laing, MP for Epping Forest
still Cyril Dennis MBE
Colonel Alan Hall, Deputy Lieutenant for Redbridge
Mike Gapes, MP for Ilford South
still Iain Duncan-Smith, MP for Woodford & Chingford

Children’s Hospices UK

"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


 


Association for Children with a Life-Threatening or Terminal Conditions

"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

"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

"Help the Hospices is the national charity for the hospice movement, founded in 1984 by Anne, Duchess of Norfolk."

http://www.helpthehospices.org.uk


 


Lifelites

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


 


CHARITIES AND SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARTICULAR CONDITIONS


Cancerbackup

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


 


Kids Health

KidsHealth provides families with accurate, up-to-date, and jargon-free health information they can use.

http://www.kidshealth.org


 


Clic Sargent

Clic Sargent supports families with children suffering from cancer or leukaemia.

http://www.clic.org.uk/


 


The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign

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 Jennifer Trust for Spinal Muscular Atrophy

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/


 


Batten Disease Family Association

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


 


British Heart Foundation

For help and support with conditions relating to the heart.

http://www.bhf.org.uk/index.asp


 


Contact a Family - Directory of Specific Conditions and Rare Disorders

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


 


HEALTH AND PUBLIC SERVICES


Caring About Carers

This website from the Department of Health provides details about services or benefits affecting carers.

http://www.carers.gov.uk/


 


DirectGov

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


 


The Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation

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

NHS Direct has a wealth of information about illnesses and conditions and also links to other organisations.

http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk


 


OTHER CHARITIES


Contact a Family

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

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


 


The Child Bereavement Trust

This organisation works to help bereaved families.

http://www.childbereavement.org.uk


 

Haven House Children's Hospice. Charity Number: 1044296      © 2008 designed by verb.