WellChild Announces The Launch Of Brand New ‘In Your Area’ Platform Helping Parents & Carers Of Seriously Ill Children Find Local Accessible Services
WellChild, the national charity for seriously ill children who has Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex as their patron, has today unveiled it’s new ‘In Your Area’ platform; a digital directory designed to make it easier for parents and carers of children with complex medical needs to find accessible services local to them.
The platform, which has been designed and tested by WellChild over the last 3 years, currently boasts over 500 services across the country, specifically selected for their accessibility credentials. These services range from specialist medical facilities to locations suitable for a family day out. The tool is the first of it’s kind and has been created to make it easier planning activities for parents and carers of children with complex medical needs. Users simply enter their postcode and select their accessibility requirements to generate a list of suitable services presented in distance order. The platform also features a comments section, allowing for the sharing of first-hand experiences from other parents and carers. The ‘In Your Area’ platform is updated with new services monthly and is expected to double in size by the end of 2024.
Following a successful funding bid from Comic Relief, WellChild worked with members of The WellChild Family Tree online community on a research piece which informed the creation of the ‘In Your Area’ platform. The research showed that parents and carers of children with complex medical needs do not have the time to go out and find the support and the services that they desperately need. Over 79% of parents and carers surveyed said that they trusted the views of other parents and carers who may have used a particular service over any other kind of information.
Angela Little, who is a care coordinator for children with complex needs in Sussex commented on the platform saying, “I’m so excited to see a platform like this. In the past I’ve had to keep all of this sort of information in my head or in my notes, but to have it all in one place and so easy to access is just fantastic. In Your Area is going to make such a difference to families who need it most.”
Matt James, WellChild CEO said, “We are thrilled to finally launch the In Your Area platform, and in doing so, take another step forward in making life a little easier for parents and carers of children with complex medical needs. By making service and accessibility information quick and easy to access, it not only empowers families to find the services that they so desperately need, but it goes some way to enriching their lives by making happy family memories too.”
The ‘In Your Area’ platform is now live and can be accessed via the WellChild website.
“I really enjoyed using the In Your Area platform to arrange a day out for the whole family. It was very easy to use and find details of services that were suitable for us. Reading what other parents have written in the comments helps too!
For years I struggled to find services that can help our family, this platform will stop my endless nights of scrolling the web trying to find the service I am needing or an activity which my child can take part in!”