Services
- Social Work Services
- After Hours On-Call Social Work Service
- Ward Grandparent Program
- Support Groups
- Financial Counsellor
- Beth's Legacy
Social Work Services
Social workers provide a range of support and services that may be needed when a child is admitted into hospital.
This is done through:
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Counselling
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Supporting families during a crisis and trauma
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Providing education and information
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Advocacy
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Discharge planning
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Referral to community agencies and supports
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Liaising with interstate, regional and other metropolitan hospitals
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Delivering group and support programs
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Facilitating access to the hospital
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Providing limited practical assistance and material aide where required.
Social Work staff are located within six teams:
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Children's Cancer Centre
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Critical Care & Cardiac
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Specialist Medical & Surgical
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General & Developmental Medical
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Emergency and
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Rehabilitation
Please contact the Social Work Department to enquire about current staff allocations on 9345 6111.
After Hours On-call Social Work Service
The Social Work Department offers an After-Hours Oncall Service, during evenings and weekends. This service is for families who are experiencing acute trauma and crisis.
This service is only accessed through hospital staff for families in the Emergency Department and the Intensive Care Unit.
Ward Grandparent Program
The Ward Grandparent Program is coordinated by the Social Work Department in partnership with RCH Volunteer Service and was developed in response to the needs of long stay inpatients whose parents are unable to visit as often as they would like.
The Ward Grandparent Program is based on the knowledge that hospitalisation and illness have the potential to have an adverse impact on a child's development of secure and healthy attachments. Children need familiar adult support in order to minimize the adverse affects of hospitalisation.
The aim of the program is to support children by providing them with the opportunity to develop secure attachments with another adult when their parent/s can not be present. The consistent care provided by a Ward Grandparent helps build a sense of safety and security while they are in hospital or undergoing treatment.
A Ward Grandparent is a specially trained volunteer who spends quality time with a child to enhance their psychological health and well being. A child linked to a Ward Grandparent will receive individual attention from a familiar person and the Ward Grandparent is able to provide a range of services such as comfort and support, provision of entertainment for a bored or frustrated child and stimulation promoting learning and development.
Ward Grandparents undergo a rigorous screening process including an interview, Working with Children (WWC), police and referee checks. When a Ward Grandparent is accepted into the program they will receive ongoing training and support from the Social Work Department and RCH Volunteer Service. For further information regarding the Ward Grandparent Program contact the Program Coordinator via the Social Work Department on 9345 6111.
Support Groups
A number of Social Work staff coordinate patient and parent support groups throughout the hospital. Many social workers also co-facilitate and present at a number of multidisciplinary presentations, information and education sessions delivered during the year. For more information about support groups see Support Groups.
Financial Counsellor
Hospital-Based Financial Counselling is offered by Kildonan Uniting Care, in partnership with Origin Energy. Appointments are made by Social Work staff for parents, carers and patients of the hospital.
Appointments can be made by speaking with your Social Worker or enquiring on 9345 6111.
Beth's Legacy
Mary and Shaun Nolan established Beth's Legacy in 2002. Beth's Legacy was set up in memory of their daughter Bethany Nolan, who died shortly after the separation operation from her conjoined twin Alyssa. The motto of Beth's Legacy is to provide everyday help for everyday people. It provides invaluable practical support to families who have experienced the unexpected admission of a child to hospital. In such cases, families often come to the hospital unprepared and without basic necessities.
The Beth's Legacy care packages include essential items such as phone cards for contacting relatives, toiletries and snacks. The Social Work Department at the Royal Children's Hospital ensures that these care packages are distributed throughout the hospital to be available to families in need.
Beth's Legacy relies heavily on the generosity of public donation to fund its care packages program. Further information regarding Beth's Legacy is available by contacting the Social Work Department on 9345 6111.
