Western Australia’s first children’s hospice is set to open in 2024 and Member for the East Metropolitan Region Matthew Swinbourn said it’s pleasing that such an amenity and respite will be available for children.
The hospice will provide holistic care and support to children with a life-limiting medical condition and will be constructed on Crown land at the site of the former Swanbourne Bowling Club.
The seven-bed children’s hospice will offer out-of-home palliative respite care, as well as bereavement services and outreach support to children and families from all over WA.
The hospice will include a number of amenities, including a hydrotherapy pool, therapy rooms, and shared family and play rooms, as well as a community garden adjacent to the facility.
In addition, three family accommodation suites will also be constructed at the hospice, meaning families will be able to stay close to their loved ones.
The hospice is being made possible through a partnership between the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Child and Adolescent Health Service and the State Government.
The Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation is set to fund the costs of construction, fit-out and ongoing non-operational costs; while the Child and Adolescent Health Service will provide ongoing funding for clinical, governance and management costs.
In addition to providing Crown land, the State Government has contributed $7.2 million to the project, comprising a $4 million contribution via Lotterywest for the construction of the facility, and $3.2 million for project planning and to boost the service capacity of the WA Paediatric Palliative Care Service.
Member for the East Metropolitan Region, Matthew Swinbourn said for many West Australian children living with a life-limiting illness, WA’s new children’s hospice will be a welcoming place to help them escape the monotony and drudge of hospital life.
“The children will be close to nature and very near the ocean, with the hospice providing a safe and comfortable home-like environment, as well as provide spaces for families to be with each other,” he said.
“I know only too well the difficulties of dealing with a seriously ill child, and while this facility will not be available to my son Mitchell, I am pleased that it will be available to others who have a child with a life limiting condition.”
