Palliative Care for Children & Young People

The Children and Young People’s (CYP) Reference Group aims to advocate for and drive the development of accessible and high-quality palliative care for children and young people through the EAPC.

The CYP Reference group brings together all those working to develop and sustain children’s palliative care services in order to expand the evidence base and share learning and research.
A Steering Group has been established to organise this work and to build the membership of the wider group.

Aims and objectives
  • To bring together the wide range of professionals working to develop children’s palliative care in European countries and provide opportunities for sharing of information, research, education and advocacy.

  • To support the development and dissemination of the evidence base in children’s palliative care through identification of specific workstreams leading to published guidelines and standards.

  • To provide educational opportunities for those working in children’s palliative care through the development of paediatric sessions at EAPC events.

  • To support the development of palliative care for children and young people across Europe, through advocacy and awareness-raising, signposting organisations to the support offered by the International Children’s Palliative Care Network, the guidelines and standards developed by the Paediatric Task Force and other useful resources.

group chairs children and young people Ana Lacerda and Meggi Schuiling-Otten
The Reference Group is chaired by Ana Lacerda, Consultant in Paediatric Oncology, Portugal and Meggie Schuiling-Otten, CEO of The Dutch center of expertise of childrens palliative care, The Netherlands.

Resources

The European Charter on palliative Care for Children & Young People

Developed by our Reference Group, the Charter aims to set out standards that can be used as a tool for empowering children, families and healthcare professionals, with regards to what they can expect, what should be available and accessible to them, and for advocating for the development of children’s palliative care services within Europe. 

Download the charter below, more translations are to follow.

Committe

Ana Lacerda

Portugal
Pediatric oncologist
photo Joanne Brennan

Joanne Brennan

United Kingdom
Project Officer EAPC Groups & Communication
Silvia Lefebvre D'Ovidio

Silvia Lefebvre D'Ovidio

Italy
President Maruzza
Julia Downing

Julia Downing

United Kingdom

ICPCN

Executive Director of the International Children’s Palliative Care Network

Helena Dunbar

United Kingdom
Director of Service Development and Improvement at Together for Short Lives
Lorna Fraser

Lorna Fraser

United Kingdom
Professor of Palliative Care and Child Health

Deborah Gubler

Switzerland
Senior Physician, Kinderspital Zürich

Jitka Kosikova

Czech Republic
Paediatric nurse
Erna Michiels

Erna Michiels

The Netherlands
Pediatric oncologist

Kim Beernaert

Belgium

Professor, Head of Palliative Care Research

Assistant Professor, Senior Researcher

Esther Prins

The Netherlands
Head of Communications, of the Dutch center of expertise of childrens palliative care

Meggi Schuiling-Otten

The Netherlands
CEO of The Dutch center of expertise of childrens palliative care