Chestnut Tree House services

Chestnut Tree House is the only children's hospice in Sussex and cares for children and young adults from 0-19 years of age with progressive life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses from all over the county.

Completed in 2003, the hospice provides a 'home from home' environment with 10 children's bedrooms plus 8 family rooms, a wet and dry play area, computer and music rooms, a multi sensory room and hydrotherapy pool. The house is set in beautiful gardens within an area of outstanding natural beauty.

There are potentially 400 families with life-limited children in Sussex. Chestnut Tree House offers support for the whole family including psychological support, care in bereavement therapy, end of life and short breaks care and sibling support.

The hospice costs over £2 million per year to run. Families are not charged for their care and the hospice receives very little government funding, so it relies heavily on the generosity, help and support of the people of Sussex.

Looking after a sick child is an exhausting 24 hour a day job and the family also need our care and support. That care extends to mums, dads, grandparents, brothers and sisters. We offer a truly holistic approach, caring for the whole family - providing recuperation and relaxation for exhausted parents, making siblings feel special and giving grandparents the chance get involved. Chestnut Tree House really does make a difference in the day to day lives of these special families.

Chestnut Tree House aims to offer a fun and relaxed atmosphere. It is a place for building memories, for fun, for laughter, for friendship - meeting with people who know you for who you are! Chestnut Tree House is a place for living, and for living life to the full!

For further information please download our Chestnut Tree House Guide on the link provided at the bottom of the page.

Here is a list of the services we provide:

• Specialist advice about treatment, medication and medical conditions
  
• Support for families, children, and young people following diagnosis are provided short breaks within the hospice or family home.
  
• Nursing care, practical and emotional support in the family's home
  
• Teaching, supervision and support for parents, colleagues and other professionals
  
• 24 hour support for children requiring care in the terminal stages of their illnesses
  
• Bereavement support for families and carers
  

You can view and download our latest Care Quality Commission inspection report by clicking on the link below.

Useful links

The Children With Cancer Fund (Polegate) raises money and distributes it to causes that are associated with children up to the age of 18 who have had, or are suffering from a form of cancer and who live in East Sussex.

They help with projects that will enable the children, and families of children with cancer, to maintain and improve their quality of life , for example, purchasing a piece of equipment or a special toy, or arranging a holiday so the family can spend time together out of the normal living environment.

They can also assist a local hospital or hospice to aid recovery or make the last part of a child's life more bearable.

For further information, please visit www.childrenwithcancerfund.co.uk

Bounty Charitable Trust helps fund a wide variety of family causes including childhood illness charities, domestic violence support groups and education schemes. They also aim to support the smaller, local projects that may otherwise lose out to big name appeals. For further information, please visit www.bounty.com

Cheyne Charity for Children with Cerebral Palsy has a history going back to 1889, but nowadays focuses on giving support to families who have children suffering from cerebral palsy. As funds permit they help both individual families and other voluntary institutions, underlining their objective to provide financial assistance, help, and support, for sufferers of cerebral palsy and to those providing for their care. For further information visit their website at www.cheynecharity.org.uk

Please click below to see our St Barnabas Hospices Points of View leaflet.