Children’s services

The King’s Schoolroom is a safe, friendly environment where your child can keep up with their schoolwork, have fun and relax. We welcome children all the way through from Reception to Year 13.

Our flexible approach allows your child to fit school around their medical needs. We will arrange times during our opening hours for them to join us in the schoolroom.

The King’s Schoolroom curriculum is taught in groups or individually.  We can liaise with your child’s school if needed.

If your child is unable to come to the King’s School, we can visit them on the ward to assess their needs, provide work, and offer support and advice. We can also give lessons at the bedside.

The King’s Schoolroom is staffed by specialist teachers who understand the needs of children in hospital.

Parents are welcome to come and talk to us at any time.

Subjects we cover include:

• Maths
• English
• Languages
• Music
• Science
• Geography
• Art
• Cookery
• ICT
• History
• Sociology

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, 9.30am to midday and 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Term time only.

Location

Third floor, Cheyne Wing.

Opposite Toni & Guy Ward.

Contact details

Tel: 020 3299 4402

Our Play and Youth Team includes qualified and registered health play specialists and a hospital youth worker. We provide specialist therapeutic and holistic services to support babies, children and young people.

We are an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT). Our aim is to support children and young people’s hospital journeys by creating positive experiences, allowing them to reduce anxieties, build resilience, and improve wellbeing.

Our services include:

• preparation play using specialised play techniques and resources for procedures including blood tests, scans, X-rays, surgery
• distraction therapy using age-appropriate resources for blood tests, cannulations, long lines, and dressing changes
• post-procedural play to support and work through medical experiences, trauma and anxieties brought on by hospital admission
• acting as advocates – supporting and advocating for patients to make sure their voice and feelings are heard
• sensory play and stimulation opportunities
• normalising play to achieve and maintain developmental goals and provide stability
• providing a safe space and emotional outlet to enable and support children and young people to express emotions and master coping techniques
• contributing to clinical judgements through play-based observations and attending MDT meetings
• teaching the value of specialised play to healthcare professionals and families
• providing and organising entertainment and visitors for patients and families

Youth worker

Our youth worker supports young people aged 12 years and over during their hospital stay. They work with patients and their families and carers to make a difference to their care throughout their stay. They work in all paediatric inpatients wards.

The youth worker’s role includes:

• supporting young people to gain new skills and increase their confidence, self-esteem and mental wellbeing
• supporting young people who are experiencing difficulty managing hospital admission and procedures
• presenting specialised knowledge and advocacy for patients as a professional member of the multidisciplinary team
• providing appropriate therapeutic and recreational activities to enable normal cognitive, social, and emotional development to continue during treatment
• providing support to patients, siblings, parents and carers during times of crisis

Facilities

Our facilities include a sensory room (pictured) where patients and families can book sessions with their health play specialists and special family time. Please check with the play specialist on duty. Use of the room is subject to infection control guidance.

The youth worker runs a youth room that young people can visit to have some time off the ward. It is a fun, relaxing environment equipped with lots of activities, resources, and gaming consoles, where young people can feel more comfortable and relaxed, away from medical environments. Sessions can be booked with the youth worker or health play specialists.

Donations

We accept donations of new toys and resources on the wards. If you would like to donate, please contact one of the health play specialists.

Unfortunately, due to infection control and health and safety, we cannot accept second hand resources or toys that are fabric or porous. Please speak to your health play specialist if you would like to donate second hand toys. They can confirm if they are accepting donations and advise on what we can accept. All donations must be cleaned before they are brought in.

Contact

The Play and Youth team are based on the paediatric wards. To contact them either:

• ask a ward staff member, who will then put you in contact
• email: [email protected]