The IAPC Children’s Palliative Care Subgroup is a multidisciplinary group, representative of all the service providers of children’s palliative care.

The Group addresses paediatric palliative care which is focused on achieving the best possible quality of life for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and their families.

Role: The role of the Group is to be:

• a learning network – actively promoting the application of best practice in all aspects of children’s palliative care through the sharing of knowledge, learning, experience, skills and practice in relation to the care of children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions
• a source of information and data on the provision of services related to children’s palliative care on the island of Ireland
• an expert advisory group to the IAPC Board on key issues relating to the developing specialty of children’s palliative care, including service provision and policy development, implementation and monitoring)

Workplan: 

• Project Specific and for Consultation and Feedback to National Guidelines as the need arises
• Development of a Guide – “What is Children’s Palliative Care”.
• The IAPC is a partner in the Third International Children’s Palliative Care Conference; “Short Lives, Making a Difference”. This year’s conference is building on the success of the previous two conferences and promises a packed programme with internationally acclaimed speakers covering areas such as neonatal palliative care, bereavement support and palliative care in oncology. We are delighted to work with the Northern Ireland Hospice; the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care, the Health Service Executive, The Irish Hospice Foundation, the Jack and Jill Foundation, LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, Mercy University Hospital Cork , National University of Ireland Galway and Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin; all of whom have been working together to promote children’s palliative care across the island of Ireland https://www.cpcconf.ie

Members: Elizabeth O’Donoghue (Chairperson), Clinical Nurse Specialist, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Dublin

AnneMarie Carroll, Director of Nursing, LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, Dublin

Dr Mary Devins, Consultant Paediatrician with a special interest in Paediatric Palliative Medicine, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Dublin

Colette Goonan, OutReach Nurse, Galway University Hospital

Imelda Hurley, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Dublin

Cecilia McGarry, LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, Dublin

Claire Quinn, Lecturer/Programme Director, NUI Galway

Bevan Ritchie, TeamLeader, LauraLynn at Home, LauraLynn Hospice, Dublin

Resources and Information:

Video – The Role of the OutReach Nurse in Children’s Palliative Care 

Children’s Palliative Care: From Policy to Practice 2010-2015 Download

Palliative Care for Children with Life-Limiting Conditions – A National Policy 2010 Download

Respite Services for Children with Life-Limiting Conditions and the Families in Ireland 2013 Download

Palliative Care Needs Assessment for Children 2005 Download

AIIHPC Palliative Hub – Children and Young People https://www.childrenspalliativehub.com/

Video – Factors Associated with an effective transition from children’s to adult services by young adults with life limiting conditions in Ireland; Dr Helen Kerr, Queen’s University Belfast