We need to reach every family caring for a child with a serious illness
Canuck Place Children’s Hospice is the pediatric palliative care provider for BC and the Yukon. Care is provided for children 0–19 diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and their families. Specialist pediatric palliative care relieves suffering, improves quality of life, and supports children and families to be at home. For families who sadly experience the death of their child, Canuck Place specialist grief and bereavement support cares for them in their journey. Canuck Place depends on the community to give seriously-ill children a chance to live life to the fullest, to their individual potential, and with the time they have remaining. The demand for pediatric palliative care is increasing, and we share our gratitude with you for joining our goal to reach every family caring for a child with a life-threatening illness who needs help in BC and the Yukon – so no one walks this journey alone.
Demand for pediatric palliative care
The demand for the essential services Canuck Place provides is high in BC.
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Demand for grief, loss and bereavement counselling
In BC and the Yukon, Canuck Place is the only provincial specialized bereavement care provider for families experiencing childhood deaths.
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Demand for Enhanced Community Care
Canuck Place has seen a 28% increase in care provided in-home and virtually
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Demand for pediatric palliative care consults
Community-based and in-hospital care consultations has seen a 131% increase
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Why is Canuck Place providing pediatric palliative care?
Canuck Place is the only pediatric palliative care provider in BC and the Yukon. Without the Canuck Place program, there is no dedicated organization providing essential palliative care services for children and families.
According to PopDataBC, in any given year, 2,500 children in BC have a life-threatening condition, with a subset considered high-risk, with fragile and unstable conditions leading to unplanned hospitalization, ICU admission, and death. Canuck Place is currently providing care for 67% of the children in BC aged 0-19 who have life-threatening conditions, defined by an internationally used classification system. There is clearly a growing need for pediatric palliative care consultation and care across settings including tertiary (specialist) hospitals, community and regional hospitals, and for families in-home.
Goals of care for Canuck Place
Canuck Place is committed to providing high-quality pediatric palliative care that meets the needs of children and families; ongoing quality improvement; and innovation as a learning organization.
Canuck Place defines high-quality pediatric palliative care as that which improves quality of life, promotes comfort, and reduces suffering for children with life-threatening conditions (serious illness) and their families through a holistic approach that addresses physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs. It is collaborative, child and family-centred care, delivered using an interdisciplinary team-based approach throughout the continuum of care across all ages and stages of illness, including bereavement. Our care model values choice and honest and compassionate communication.
In 2023-24 Canuck Place is anticipating a 6-8% increase in the number of children and families referred to the program. With nursing/staff resources constrained by a flat funding agreement with the Province of BC, Canuck Place will need to raise additional funds to meet the needs of children and families who require palliative care, reflected in provincial health data (PopDataBC).
Key projects through 2024
Electronic Health Record System
To improve communication, safety, and increase efficiency, Canuck Place is implementing an Electronic Health Record system. This new system will ensure seamless communication and foster continuity of care.
2023/24 key project
Accreditation Canada
Canuck Place will continue to validate commitment to quality and safety, and will participate and prepare for Accreditation Canada survey.
2023/24 key project
Advance Care Planning
Virtual care is increasing. Canuck Place clinicians are providing care coordination, advance care planning, and complex care consultations in-home and in-hospital. To improve care across the healthcare system, Canuck Place is co-leading a provincial project on pediatric advance care planning, together with ChildHealthBC, BC Children’s Hospital, and Perinatal Services BC.
2023/24 Advance Care Planning
Family Engagement Framework
Canuck Place responds to the voices of our patient families, and collaborates on improving care by working directly with families. To give children and families in our care an even more powerful voice through co-creation of improved program services, Canuck Place is implementing a new Family Engagement Framework across the organization. The framework follows the IAP2 model, developed by the international association for public participation, and is comprised of five stages – Inform, Consult, Involve, Collaborate, and Empower. The vision for the framework is to ensure consistent, safe, and respectful engagement with children, youth, and families at Canuck Place, to fully represent the diverse perspectives and promote continual improvement of pediatric palliative care and services.
2023/24 key project