Enhancing Support for Families of Children with Life-Limiting Conditions in Greater Manchester

Kentown Support has launched a new partnership with Gaddum, a Greater Manchester based mental health and carers' charity, to strengthen services for families of babies, children, and young people living with life-limiting conditions across Greater Manchester.

As part of Kentown Support’s community-focused palliative and end-of-life care model, Gaddum will deliver a comprehensive programme of therapeutic counselling to parents, siblings, and wider family members through its Palliative and End-of-Life Therapy Service. 

Through this regional model, Gaddum will provide a dedicated service, offering open-ended counselling for families with a child receiving palliative or end-of-life care. Specialist bereavement support will also be available to help families process loss, sustain relationships and rebuild wellbeing during the most challenging times.

Dr Helena Dunbar, Chief Executive Officer of Kentown Support, said:
“Our vision at Kentown Support is to ensure that every child and family living with a life-limiting condition can access community-based palliative care. The Kentown Model, with support from various partners, brings together nursing, practical, and emotional support —ensuring care is seamless, compassionate, and close to home.”

The partnership will also provide age-appropriate therapeutic interventions for siblings, wellbeing sessions for Kentown’s Children’s Palliative Care Community Nurse Specialists, and improved access to emotional support across all ten Greater Manchester boroughs.

Together, Kentown Support and Gaddum are committed to ensuring families receive equitable, specialist care whenever and wherever they need it most.

                                                             ENDS

About Kentown Support

Kentown Support was established in 2025 with the generous support of The Kentown Wizard Foundation. Our mission is to improve the provision of community palliative care for children and families across the UK. We believe that every child with a life-limiting condition – and their family – should have access to a model of integrated community children’s palliative care, whenever and wherever they need it.

Kentown Support works to:

• develop sustainable, high-quality community-based children’s palliative care teams
• support and collaborate with healthcare professionals, local services, and community partners to create a more coordinated, accessible services
• share and fund research and training resources to improve understanding, build knowledge and drive advancements in children’s palliative care

Find out more at: www.kentownsupport.org.uk


About Gaddum

Gaddum is a mental health and carers charity that has provided counselling services and practical support to individuals and communities throughout Greater Manchester for almost 200 years.

Find out more at: www.gaddum.org.uk