Celia Hammond (Curtin, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Western Australia does not currently have a dedicated children's hospice. At present, general hospices, hospitals and home-based services perform this role for the 2,000 children with life-threatening conditions and their families. While the current services do an admirable job in providing services to the children and their families, these children and families in WA need a dedicated, purpose-built facility which provides care and services designed for and aimed solely at the needs of children; a child-centred approach in which the children's needs and those of their families are the starting, middle and end point; and a dedicated facility which provides all the care of a hospital with the feel of a family home, providing the best quality of life through a holistic approach supporting the physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects that a child and their family may seek through this time.

The Perth Children's Hospital Foundation with the support of and in partnership with the WA Child and Adolescent Health Service, have commenced a project to build and then operate such a place. While Swanbourne in my electorate of Curtin has been chosen as the preferred site for this new facility, the hospice will service children and families from across the state, from as far north as Kununurra, south to Esperance and east to Eucla. I know that all of my colleagues in WA strongly support the vision and goal of the CHEF and will do all that we can to support and advocate for this.