Frequently Asked Questions

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We know families, supporters and partners may have questions about the Sunflower Children’s Hospice. If you don’t find what you’re looking for here, our team is always happy to help.
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The Sunflower Children’s Hospice will be the first dedicated children’s hospice along the western seaboard of Ireland, created to support children, and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. It will provide specialist care, respite, and family support in a warm, child-centred environment.

Sunflower Children’s Hospice is being funded and built by Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation as part of its long-term commitment to expand palliative care services for children and young adults

Sunflower Children’s Hospice is planned for Mayo, where the Foundation has already successfully built state-of-the-art adult hospices in both Mayo and Roscommon.

Families in the West currently must travel long distances to access specialist paediatric palliative services. SCH will bring this care closer to home, offering comfort, continuity, and expert support to families across Mayo, Roscommon, Galway, Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal, Clare, and Limerick.

The Foundation has identified paediatric palliative care as a core development priority in its strategy for 2022–2026, and intends to have the facility completed and in use by 2030.

Sunflower Children’s Hospice will provide care for:

  • Children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses
  • Families who need respite, emotional support, or bereavement services
  • Siblings, carers, and extended family members who may require additional support

The project is currently in development. Timelines for planning, fundraising, design, and construction will be shared as milestones are reached. Families, supporters, and the community will be kept updated.

No. Sunflower Children’s Hospice will serve children and families across the entire western seaboard, offering regional access where none currently exists.

Once opened, the hospice will be under the governance and management of the HSE. It will continue to be under the fundraising remit of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation.

Services are expected to include:

  • Specialist paediatric palliative nursing
  • Symptom and pain management
  • Respite care and short breaks
  • End-of-life care
  • Family accommodation and overnight stays
  • Emotional, psychological, and bereavement support
  • Play therapy, music therapy, sensory spaces, and child-centred activities
  • Support for siblings and extended family members

Paediatric palliative care focuses on improving quality of life for children with life-limiting illnesses, supporting their comfort, wellbeing, and dignity. It is not just about end-of-life care, it encompasses physical, emotional, social, and spiritual care for the child and their whole family.

Yes. Sunflower Children’s Hospice will offer overnight respite stays, crisis care, and end-of-life care in a safe and supportive environment designed specifically for children and families.

Yes. All services provided by Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, including those in Sunflower Children’s Hospice, are free of charge, funded through donations, fundraising, and partnership with the HSE.

Care will be delivered by a multidisciplinary team, under the governance of the HSE, including:

  • Specialist paediatric palliative care nurses
  • Healthcare assistants
  • Family therapists and counsellors
  • Play and music therapists
  • Night nursing support
  • Medical professionals

Yes. Sunflower Children’s Hospice is designed to accommodate a wide range of complex conditions, offering specialist environments and equipment tailored to each child’s needs.

No. Choosing hospice care is always entirely up to you and your family. Many families continue to care for their child at home and simply use hospice services as an additional lifeline when they need it.

A children’s hospice can offer extra support, rest, and space to breathe, helping you manage the day-to-day demands of caring for a child with complex needs. It can also provide guidance, comfort, and practical help as you prepare for future challenges.

You are always in control, and hospice care is there to support you, not replace the care and love you provide.

Referral pathways will include:

  • GPs
  • Hospital consultants
  • Community nurses
  • Palliative care teams
  • Self-referral by families (followed by clinical assessment)

The formal referral structure will be published closer to opening.

Children with any life-limiting or life-threatening condition may be eligible. This includes cancer, neurological conditions, genetic conditions, metabolic diseases, cardiac or respiratory illness, and conditions where prognosis is uncertain.

Yes. Sunflower Children’s Hospice will offer planned respite breaks that allow families to rest, recharge, and spend time together in a supportive setting.

Yes. SCH is being designed as a family-centred environment with dedicated sibling support spaces. Overnight accommodation will be provided for families wherever possible.

  • Counselling and emotional support
  • Practical guidance and care planning
  • Support groups and peer connections
  • Respite breaks
  • Bereavement support before and after a child’s death

Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation already provides family therapy and bereavement services, which will extend into Sunflower Children’s Hospice

Yes. Families will have access to bereavement counselling, memorial services, and long-term emotional support tailored to the needs of parents and siblings.

It is both. Sunflower Children’s Hospice combines specialist clinical care with a warm, homely, child-friendly environment designed to feel safe, joyful, and comforting for families.

Sunflower Children’s Hospice is being built entirely through fundraised income, just as the Mayo and Roscommon adult hospices were, which together cost €16.3 million and were fully funded by community support. Our fundraising target is €14m, and we are over halfway there already.

You can donate online, join monthly giving, sponsor a room or facility, run a fundraising event, or leave a gift in your will. The Sunflower Children’s Hospice website will include a direct “Donate” option.

Yes. Corporate partnerships, philanthropic gifts, matched funding, and community collaborations are all very much welcomed. Custom partnership packages can be arranged.

You can support through:

  • Coffee mornings
  • Sponsored challenges
  • School and community events
  • Workplace fundraising
  • Sunflower Days and annual campaigns

The Foundation will provide guidance, materials, and fundraising ideas.

Yes. Volunteers will play a vital role in events, administration, charity shops, and community awareness. Volunteer opportunities within Sunflower Children’s Hospice will be announced as the project progresses.

Yes. Building advocates in schools and community groups is part of the Foundation’s strategy, helping to raise awareness and encourage empathy among young people.

Still have questions? Get in touch

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For families caring for a child with a life limiting illness, everyday life can be filled with uncertainty, exhaustion & moments no family should have to face alone.
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A young child with fair hair lies in a hospital bed at Sunflower Children’s Hospice, wearing a nasal oxygen tube and a blue gown, resting peacefully. The photo is framed in the shape of a heart.