Children in Hospital Ireland (CIH Ireland) has launched KidsHub, a fun, online resource to help prepare children for an upcoming hospital stay.
Now in its 55th year, Children in Hospital Ireland continues to ease the experience of hospital for children and their families, with 400 volunteers across 15 hospitals nationwide providing a play service and a family support service offering information and emotional support to families.
According to Ruby Walsh, Family Support Service Information Officer at CIH,“A wealth of research has shown that if a child is informed about their hospital care, it can help reduce fear, anxiety and improve a child’s overall experience of hospital. We asked young people what they would like to know about going to hospital and used this information to create a fun and interactive resource.”
“KidsHub can be used as a guide for both parents and children to talk about their upcoming hospital admission and help their child feel more confident about their hospital visit.”
KidsHub was developed in consultation with children, parents and medical professionals, including Ruby Morrissey, aged 10, who was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome at the age of three. Ruby’s mother, Elaine said, “Ruby has had hospital visits for as long as she can remember and was so excited when she first heard about the KidsHub consultation. Ruby really felt she could share her input and help other children who may be facing similar journeys.”
KidsHub was made possible through funding from the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal at Community Foundation Ireland and expands on CIH’s InformationHub, a website that brings together all the information that a parent or guardian might need to know if their child requires hospital care.
Denise Charlton, Chief Executive, Community Foundation Ireland added “Spreading the magic of the RTÉ Toy Show to every county in Ireland is an enormous responsibility which we take very seriously. We are delighted to play our role in turning the huge generosity of viewers into action which will benefit an estimated one million children. The support is going to impactful and pioneering projects like KidsHub. The information, comfort and support to children and their families during a particular anxious time is essential. The fact that the hub and its content has been informed by children, parents and medical professionals makes it an incredible resource. All of us at the Community Foundation send every best wish to both the hub and its users.”
To access KidsHub, please visit kidshub.childreninhospital.ie
