King’s College London researchers have launched two pioneering projects aimed at improving care for children with life-limiting conditions. The projects, led by Dr Bethan Page, Lecturer in Child Health and Palliative Care, and Dr Dee Fields, Research Assistant, are part of the Centre of Excellence in Children’s Palliative Care at King’s College London. The centre is funded by Kentown Support, under the leadership of Professor Lorna Fraser.
The goal of these projects is to build a strong evidence base to enhance the support and care available to children with life-limiting conditions and their families across the UK.
The first project will focus on improving social care support for families. Through parent interviews, the team will gather first-hand experiences of accessing and receiving support from social care services and Local Authorities. Professional focus groups will also be conducted to gather recommendations for improvement. Additionally, collaborative workshops will bring together parents and professionals to prioritize the most urgent changes and identify areas for future research.
The second project will explore the education and training needs of parent carers of children with medical complexity. These parents often have to learn specialized care skills, such as managing feeding tubes or tracheostomies. However, many parents report feeling underprepared and unsupported. Building on Dr Page’s previous PhD research, this project will work with a parent advisory group to design a survey for parent carers, identify gaps in existing support and training, and inform the development of improved and more consistent training resources.
Dr Bethan Page commented on the projects, saying, “There has been hardly any research in social care for children with life-limiting conditions, and services are often not tailored to meet their needs. We are looking forward to working with parents and professionals to explore how we can improve support for children and families.”
Both projects are significant steps towards improving the quality of care and support for families navigating the challenges of life-limiting childhood conditions.
For media inquiries, please contact Debbie Jacobs, Marketing and Communications Manager at Kentown Support, at debbie.jacobs@kentownsupport.org.uk or 0730 994 1438.
Kentown Support was established in 2025 with the generous support of the Kentown Wizard Foundation. Their mission is to improve the provision of community palliative care for children and families across the UK. They work to develop sustainable, high-quality community-based children’s palliative care teams, support and collaborate with healthcare professionals and local services, and share and fund research and training resources to drive advancements in children’s palliative care.
King’s College London is a prestigious university, ranked among the top 40 universities in the world and top 10 in Europe. With a reputation for world-class teaching and cutting-edge research, King’s is committed to making a positive impact on people, society, and the planet. Their Vision 2029 sets out bold ambitions for the future as they work towards their 200th anniversary. For more information, visit their website at kcl.ac.uk/news.
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