Respite Care: Sunndach & Calareidh

Each house has their own separate living, kitchen and bathroom areas, and children all have single bedrooms when they stay - some with en-suite facilities. There is also an overnight room with a sofa bed and en-suite bathroom should a parent or carer wish to stay with their child at any time. Each house has a multisensory room where the children can relax, interact and enjoy activities. The playroom is a place for crafts, musical activities or relaxing, with other areas throughout each house for baking, story time, or watching movies. Both houses have fully-accessible outdoor space and gardens, for fresh air, games and activities.

The immediate nursing team at each house includes registered nurses and health care support workers, with each team directly managed by the Senior Charge Nurse, with support from a Deputy Charge Nurse in each house. Each child is allocated to a named nurse team who will act as their main point of contact and are responsible for ensuring that their care plan is up to date. In each house the nursing staff are supported by a part-time office administrator and a full-time housekeeper.

A multi-disciplinary team means a group of specialists all working together to care for a child. To ensure that children receive effective all-round care, the multi-disciplinary team meets monthly to talk about all aspects of care, including residential children, any health issues relating to children who receive respite care and any new referrals to the service. This team includes:

• Senior Charge Nurse
• Deputy Charge Nurse (one for each house)
• Consultant Community Paediatrician (one for each house)
• Local GP
• Palliative Care Nurse Specialist
• Senior Social Worker (from the Royal Hospital for Children & Young People)
• Therapists and other specialists (e.g. physiotherapists) that can visit the children during their stay

Day staff arrive at the house from 7am. Some will stay until 3pm and others until 8.30pm. Night staff come in at 8.15pm and leave at 7.15am the following morning, with a handover taking place between every shift change. On a weekday, staff will help children get up and ready for school, nursery, a visit to their day centre or any other activities planned for the day. Staff also help with any treatments or therapies. They are a highly-skilled team and try to keep each child’s routine as close as possible to the one they have at home. Children have a choice of evening activities. Some like to have a stretch-out on the couch, bean bag or water bed before dinner while others might like to watch a movie, do some arts and crafts, listen to music or chill in the sensory room. Staff can help children have a bath or shower in the evening before bed, depending on what each child prefers. The weekends are more laid-back with a slower pace. Children can enjoy a lie-in or get up at their regular time. They can spend time in the garden if the weather is nice, with lawn games and lots of things to see. Trips and visits are arranged whenever possible.

An adapted minibus provided by Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity supports the children to enjoy outings which might include going to the cinema, shopping, attending concerts or even taking short holiday breaks throughout the year. Covid restrictions mean that trips and events are currently unavailable, with the situation monitored on an ongoing basis according to the latest guidance.

Clown Doctors (provided by Hearts and Minds) visit each house on a fortnightly basis, along with a number of volunteers who carry fun activities with the children and help staff with outings or events. Events are organised throughout the year, including BBQs, fancy dress parties and a Christmas carol concert where parents and carers have the opportunity to meet with staff and other families.

Children referred to the service must live within the Lothian area (City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian) and be an active patient of the Community Children’s Nursing Service. The child’s Lead Professional should complete a Decision Support Tool (DST) to confirm that the child’s health care needs meet the service criteria.

Sunndach and Calareidh work closely with the Palliative Care team across NHS Lothian, as well as the Community Children’s Nursing Service and Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS). This means that palliative and end of life care can be supported at both houses.

Our team aims to provide a high quality service of care and support and will

• Work in partnership with families and each child or young person to provide a service that aims to meet their needs in a safe and secure environment.
• Ensure good communication between families, professionals and the nursing team.
• Provide person-centred, competent care, delivered by staff with the appropriate training and skills to meet each child or young person’s changing needs.
• Build a good working relationship with all residents based on respect, trust and confidentiality.