Welcoming Children and Young People at St Christopher’s

St Christopher’s has always been more than just a hospice – we’re a community space where everyone is welcome, whatever their age.

While we’re known for caring for adults at the end of life, our doors are equally open to children and young people.

From supporting bereaved families to inspiring the next generation of community leaders, we’re committed to making sure young people feel they have every right to be here – and every reason to be involved.

Candle Children and Young People’s Bereavement Service

Our Candle Service offers specialist bereavement support to all children and young people from across our five boroughs – Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham, and Southwark.

We work with anyone child or young person aged 0-18 years old affected by bereavement, where someone significant to them has died, and support all types of loss – anticipated, sudden, unexpected, or traumatic, including those bereaved by murder or suicide.

• Around 300 children and young people are currently receiving support through Candle each year, with referrals continuing to rise.
• Support includes an assessment and followed by a programme of up to five sessions and this may include talking, art, playing.
• We host family events throughout the year, including remembrance activities and bring a family focus to our community fundraisers like the Fun Walk.
• We also support the significant adults in a young person’s life, recognising that helping parents and carers to cope has a direct impact on children’s wellbeing.
• Our national helpline offers advice to anyone in the UK concerned about a bereaved child, and we support parents/carers, teachers, social workers and other professionals.
• We deliver a national training course for professionals working with bereaved children and young people, and so we are able to promote and influence best practice for bereaved children across the sector.
• Candle has been running for over 27 years..

Community Action for Young People

Outside of Candle, our Community Action team works with young people in a variety of creative and practical ways:

• Young Change Makers (16–18 years): A summer school and leadership development programme (not running this year).
• Youth Compassionate Neighbours (16–18 years): Volunteers connecting with socially isolated people at the end of life.
• School engagement: Workshops, death literacy sessions, and creative projects such as the Brit School collaborations Behind the Mask.
• Visits to the hospice: Schools have brought bands, choirs, and artists to perform in our Garden Café.
• Literacy workshops: Delivered in schools to build understanding and confidence around end-of-life topics.

Looking Ahead

From the warm welcome in our Garden Café to specialist bereavement support and inspiring leadership opportunities, St Christopher’s is here for young people as much as we are for adults. By listening, learning, and working together, we can ensure our hospice continues to be a place where everyone feels they belong.

Listening to Young Voices

We’re currently gathering opinions from children and young people about their experiences with St Christopher’s. It’s important to us that we hear from a diverse range of voices – particularly as our under-18 service users are even more diverse than our adult community.

By creating spaces and programmes that are open, accessible, and child-friendly, we hope to share the message that hospices aren’t just for adults – they’re places where children and young people can feel welcome, supported, and valued.

If you are visiting St Christopher’s in Sydenham or Orpington soon, do pick up our Children and Young People survey on our front desk, and make sure your young person has a say for changes across the hospice.