“It doesn’t feel like work”: Meet Siobhan

Siobhan has spent her entire nursing career in children’s palliative care. It was during a placement that Siobhan first discovered children’s palliative care – a moment which has shaped her career. Since then, she has spent her entire nursing career working in children’s hospices. 

Now a Band 6 nurse at Helen & Douglas House, she brings years of experience, leadership and compassion to her role, alongside a deep understanding of what hospice care can offer children and families. 

Since first joining Helen & Douglas House in 2018, Siobhan has worked across nursing, infection control and research and education. What keeps her here isn’t just the variety of the role but the relationships, the teamwork and privilege of being part of families’ lives at their most important moments. 

A home, not a hospital

For Siobhan, one of the biggest differences between hospice and hospital care is the environment and the sense of belonging it creates. 

“It’s just a big house. It’s a really nice place to work, one big Helen & Douglas House family. The relationships we build with our families and our children are just so different to the hospitals. You spend so much more time with the children and families, and you get to know them on a very different level.” 

That time and continuity make a real difference, particularly for families who return to the hospice regularly. 

Not just medical care

While clinical care is essential, Siobhan is clear that hospice care goes far beyond medical tasks. Alongside managing complex care needs, nurses focus on joy, play and creating meaningful experiences. 

“In between medical care we’re doing joyful activities like taking a child swimming, going for a walk or even baking. We facilitate precious moments. Whether that’s a fire engine visit, a pony visit or facilitating wishes like sleeping out under the stars. We can’t change the outcome for families, but we can help create beautiful memories, and that’s a privilege.” 

For Siobhan, the scale of the moment doesn’t matter. 

“It doesn’t matter if it’s for an hour or the whole night – it’s just really special.” 

Improving communication through Makaton

Alongside her leadership and clinical work, Siobhan has played a key role in improving how children with communication needs are supported at Helen & Douglas House. After recognising a gap, she helped establish a Makaton‑friendly approach across the hospice, ensuring children who communicate using signing are supported in their communication during their care. 

The project has grown to include staff training and formal Makaton‑friendly registration, embedding communication support into everyday practice. For Siobhan, this work reflects her belief that high-quality care is about understanding the whole child not just their medical needs. 

“It’s really important that we are consistent with a school or home setting. Some of these children are only here for two or three days for a short break. We don’t want to change their whole world. We want to try and keep care consistent and that includes their communication.” 

Being there at the end

One of the most challenging aspects of Siobhan’s role is supporting children and families at the end of life but it is also one of the most important. 

“We’re here to support them and we will listen, be a shoulder to cry on and give them a hug whatever they need. This is their journey. This isn’t ours.” 

For Siobhan, end‑of‑life care is about dignity, responsibility and getting things right for each child and family. 

“These children only die once, and therefore it’s really important that we get their death right for their families and for them.” 

Sometimes that means taking practical and emotional burdens away from parents entirely. 

“If families don’t want to do any medical care, such as feeds, we can take that away from them. They can just be Mum and Dad and have cuddles, take the pressure off themselves, and think about what’s important to them. Sometimes they just want you to be there, whether that’s making conversation or sat there in silence.” 

Pride, purpose and privilege

Reflecting on her career, Siobhan speaks with pride, not only in her role, but in being part of a charity that relies on trust, generosity and community support.   

“I feel really proud to work for a charity. We’re really privileged to have the jobs that we have. It doesn’t feel like work some days.”