Young people share what gives them hope.
29 Oct 2024
Published in: Member News
Compton Care supporting Children and young people.
At Compton Care, we’ve recently celebrated Grandparents’ Day with members of our children and young people’s group. It was a day filled with creativity and memories. The young people designed a beautiful tree of hope and shared the activities and people that provided them with hope on the leaves of the tree. Our young artists also made ‘feelings wreaths’, sharing their thoughts and feelings on the back of the wreaths which they took home with them to reflect on in private. Our monthly workshops for young people are designed to support emotional wellbeing, reduce feelings of isolation and encourage them to build positive, supportive peer relationships. We also offer one-to-one sessions to those children who need that additional support.
The service is available for young members of our patients’ families who have a loved one being cared for by Compton or who have experienced a bereavement.
Our Compton Care teams can offer advice and support on how to talk to children and teenagers when a loved one has been diagnosed with a life limiting illness. Giving young people time to prepare for what is happening now and what is likely to happen in the future helps minimise any uncertainty, anxiety, and distress. The way children react to changing circumstances can vary depending on their age and level of understanding. It’s normal to want to protect them but it is also important that children are told when something is wrong. Children can sometimes become forgotten about and their need for information, attention, and support overlooked. Sometimes this is an attempt to protect them. Generally, children are helped by adults who are honest and direct in their communication with them and by feeling included and valued.
The team use memory building activities to help children explore their emotions, better understand illness, and make sense of loss. Some examples include:
- Building memory boxes with loved ones
- Creating colourful handprint canvasses
- Making and decorating sand jars
For more information about our support for children and young people, please speak to a member of the team or call our Advice and Referral Line on 01902 774570.
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