Kentown Support, a UK-wide initiative funded by The Kentown Wizard Foundation, is working to address the gaps in children’s community palliative care. According to research conducted in the North West region, many families have been left without the necessary support due to shortcomings in existing services. This includes a lack of social care, community nursing support, and limited access to information and advice.
In response, Kentown Support has developed the Kentown model, which aims to provide compassionate and coordinated care to children and their families, wherever and whenever it is needed. By collaborating with professionals, organizations, and Integrated Care Boards, Kentown Support is working to improve the provision of community palliative care for children across the UK.
The model, which was launched as a pilot project in 2022, has been successful in improving nursing, respite, and social care services in Lancashire and South Cumbria. The pilot team included Palliative Care Community Nurse Specialists, Family Support Workers, and Family Coordinators, who worked alongside existing services to complement and enhance their efforts.
To continue this important work and expand it across the UK, The Kentown Wizard Foundation has established Kentown Support as an independent not-for-profit organization in 2025. The foundation will continue to fund its charity partners, Together for Short Lives and Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, for the next two years. These charities will work with the Kentown nurses based in five acute NHS trusts in Lancashire and South Cumbria to deliver a comprehensive package of community children’s palliative care.
An independent evaluation of the Kentown Children’s Palliative Care Programme, led by Edge Hill University, is currently underway and will assess the impact of the program on families and children with life-limiting conditions. The results of this evaluation are expected to be released shortly.
