Department of Health

Key messages

  • The Victorian Paediatric Palliative Care Program provides specialist paediatric palliative care advice to health professionals caring for children with a life-threatening condition and their families.
  • Very Special Kids provides services to families who have a child with a life-threatening condition and to families whose child has died.
  • The paediatric palliative care flexible support fund assists in meeting gaps in service or equipment availability for children with palliative needs.

The two main paediatric palliative care services available within Victoria are the Victorian Paediatric Palliative Care Program and the Very Special Kids program.

Victorian Paediatric Palliative Care Program

The Victorian Paediatric Palliative Care Program (VPPCP) is an alliance between The Royal Children’s Hospital, Monash Medical Centre and Very Special Kids.

The VPPCP provides specialist paediatric palliative care advice to health professionals caring for children with a life-threatening condition and their families, enabling them to receive optimal care in the setting of their choice.

Paediatric palliative care flexible support fund

The flexible support fund assists in meeting gaps in service or equipment availability for children with palliative care needs, who are in the terminal phase of their illness and who are clients of the VPPCP.

Video resources

A series of videos has been produced for health professionals that describe the VPPCP and how it can benefit children with a life-threatening condition and their families.

  • What is the VPPCP?
  • Supporting the families
  • The benefits of VPPCP for families
  • The benefits of partnering with VPPCP

Very Special Kids

Very Special Kids provides services to families who have a child with a life-threatening condition and to families whose child has died.

Very Special Kids provides services including needs-based emotional support, counselling and activities, a sibling support program, bereavement support, and respite and end-of-life care through Very Special Kids House.

Reviewed 05 October 2015

Health.vic

Contact details

Palliative Care Program Department of Health and Human Services

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