Supporting children and families through serious illness
Paediatric palliative care is specialised support for children living with serious, life-threatening, or life-limiting conditions — and for their families and caregivers.
Palliative care improves children’s quality of life by relieving symptoms such as pain, fatigue, breathing difficulties, nausea, feeding problems, or sleep disturbances, while also addressing emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual needs of children and their families. Care teams work closely with families to support everyday life, improve comfort and wellbeing, help children navigate medical treatments, and ensure that care reflects the child’s and family’s goals and values.
Which children should receive palliative care?
Paediatric palliative care supports children living with serious, life-threatening, or life-limiting conditions.
Children receiving palliative care may live with a wide range of conditions, including cancer, severe neurologic disorders, genetic and metabolic diseases, heart conditions, respiratory illnesses, organ failure, or rare and complex chronic illnesses.
Care that begins early
Paediatric palliative care can begin from the moment a diagnosis is made — sometimes even before birth — and continues alongside disease-directed treatment through the course of a child’s illness. Paediatric palliative care aims to help children live as fully, comfortably, and meaningfully as possible throughout their lives.
Care for the whole family
Paediatric palliative care supports not only the child, but also parents, siblings, informal caregivers, and loved ones. It brings together doctors, nurses, psychologists, therapists, social workers, teachers, and community services to provide holistic, family-centred care.
Support can be provided in hospitals, community centres, hospices, or in the child’s own home.