Spiritual Care with Sick Children and Young People
Spiritual Care with Sick Children and Young People
A handbook for chaplains, paediatric health professionals, arts therapists and youth workers
Exploring both principles and best practice of the spiritual care of sick children and young people, this remarkable and inspiring book equips the reader to think critically and creatively about how to provide care in hospitals, hospices and other care contexts for ill and disabled children.
Written for staff from any allied health discipline, the authors explore the potential spiritual needs and issues faced by sick children and young people. They provide evidence-based practice principles, and a range of activity-based interactions that empower the child or young person and expand discussion of meaning and identity. The book includes stories and multidisciplinary practice examples, as well as many ideas; practical activities; discussion of work with families, and also of the various tensions and issues that can emerge.
Based on evidence-based practice and research carried out by the Chaplaincy Team at Birmingham Children's Hospital, the book will be helpful and inspiring reading for chaplains, nurses, play and youth workers, therapists and anyone else involved in the care of sick children and young people.
Rev. Paul Nash has worked at Birmingham Children's Hospital since 2002, and has been Chaplaincy Team Leader (Senior Chaplain) since 2004. He is the director of Red Balloon Resources, for paediatric daily, palliative end of life and bereavement care for children, families and staff, and the co-founder and co-convenor of the Paediatric Chaplaincy Network for Great Britain and Ireland. He is the academic lead on children's and young people's chaplaincy modules in a partnership with Staffordshire University. His current research involves developing distinctive standards, competencies and best practice for paediatric chaplaincy. Paul lives in Birmingham, UK.
Kathryn Darby has been a Chaplain at the Birmingham Children's Hospital since 2006, is an ordained Methodist Minister and a trained counsellor. She has published research on the spiritual needs of children with cancer and is currently engaged in further research in developing tools for spiritual care with children who are sick. She takes a particular interest in self-care and building resilience for caring professions and runs retreats, mindfulness sessions and projects, including a choir, as part of offering support. She is involved in Spiritual Direction and the Retreat movement. Kathryn lives in Birmingham, UK.
Rev. Dr Sally Nash is an experienced researcher, author and educator. She is Director of the Midlands Institute for Children Youth and Mission and has published in the field of spirituality, spiritual and religious needs of sick children, work with young people, and reflective practice. She is the academic lead for the Birmingham Children's Hospital Chaplaincy team on research, designs spiritual care resources and has also been involved as a volunteer in youth work with young people with mental health problems at the hospital. Sally lives in Birmingham, UK
