Local charities collaborate to offer vital support to families affected by life-limiting illness
Jigsaw South East and St Catherine’s Hospice are working in partnership to enhance the support available to families of patients receiving care at the hospice, particularly those with children and young people.
As part of this collaboration, experienced support workers from Jigsaw South East are now onsite at St Catherine’s every six weeks, offering dedicated drop-in sessions for parents and carers. The sessions are designed to support adults who are caring for children and young people while a loved one is receiving palliative or end of life care.
Drop in support sessions
The drop-in sessions provide a safe and informal space where parents and carers can seek guidance, ask questions, or simply talk through what they are experiencing. Support may include advice on how to talk to children about life-limiting illness, helping them cope with anticipatory grief, or providing time to share concerns with someone who understands.
The aim of the sessions is to complement the exceptional care already provided by the hospice teams, ensuring families have access to additional emotional support during what is often an extremely difficult and uncertain time. No appointment or referral is needed, and families are welcome to attend whenever they feel it would be helpful.
Jigsaw South East Practice and Service Manager, Sarah O’Brien, said:
“We’re really pleased to be working with St Catherine’s to offer these drop-in sessions. They’re already providing parents and carers with a much-needed space to talk openly and feel supported, whether they have specific questions about supporting children and young people or simply need someone to listen. It’s been really positive to see how this partnership is helping extend the support available within the hospice.”
St Catherine’s Senior Social Worker, Sue Manby-Clarke, said:
“The partnership with Jigsaw is significant in ensuring we are able to provide support to all family members at a time when they are facing the most devastating news imaginable. With Jigsaw’s expertise we are able to bridge the gap between our adult-based services and the needs of younger family members, as well as supporting parents and carers, and we are delighted to be able to work alongside them to provide specialist support to all involved.”
Charity Partnership
The partnership reflects a shared commitment between both organisations to support families not only through practical and clinical care, but also with the emotional impact that life-limiting illness can have on children and young people within the family. By working together, Jigsaw South East and St Catherine’s aim to ensure families feel supported, informed, and less alone throughout their journey.
The drop-in sessions take place every six weeks at the hospice and are open to all parents and carers supporting children or young people when a loved one is receiving care from the hospice. For more information about the sessions, including upcoming dates, please visit our events calendar.
