Who can come to St Oswalds Childrens Service?
Not all children with a ‘diagnostic label’ of a life shortening condition will access residential short breaks at St Oswald’s as at times local services will meet their needs. It is the holistic health and social care assessment of a child’s need that will identify which children with a shortened life expectancy have needs that are best matched with the specialist service at St Oswald’s i.e. the criteria are not solely based on the ‘medical diagnosis’ alone. The following criteria also need to be met: • A holistic health and social services assessment identifies the child’s need for a specialist residential short break service. • The child needs supervision from registered children’s nurses. • The child’s need for planned residential short breaks cannot be met by other services in his/her local area. • Age range of birth up to 18 years. • The child lives in Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland or Derwentside, Durham City and Chester le Street
