We are currently only reaching 1 in 10 children with a life-shortening condition in Wales
That means thousands of families in Wales live their child’s short life alone, afraid and isolated. When a child’s life will be short, no family should have to live it on their own.
We must #ReachEveryChild.
TyÌ‚ Hafan and TyÌ‚ Gobaith children’s hospices are campaigning for the Welsh Government to commit to sustainable funding for Wales’ children’s hospices.
We’re calling on the Welsh Government to provide us with the support, help and funds so that we will be here for every child and family who turn to us and to give us sustainable funding and a secure future to support this growing cohort of vulnerable young people.
How you can help
We need you to help us by showing your support for our call for sustainable funding from the Welsh Government. We are asking for them to meet 21% of our care costs annually. This will go towards us being able to meet the needs of more children.
June 17 to 23 is #ChildrensHospiceWeek.
You can support our campaign to #ReachEveryChild by doing any of the following:
Sharing our message on social media
Tŷ Hafan & Tŷ Gobaith currently only reach around 1 in 10 children with a life-shortening condition in Wales.
I support their call for sustainable funding from the #WelshGovernment
Please help TÅ· Hafan & TÅ· Gobaith to #ReachEveryChild www.tyhafan.org/reacheverychild
#ChildrensHospiceWeek
Like, comment and share
Like, comment on, and share our #ReachEveryChild content on social media to help spread the word and raise awareness, and tag your MS to ensure they see your support and involvement.
Contacting your Member of the Senedd (MS)
Email or write to your MS and ask them to support our call for sustainable funding for Tŷ Hafan and Tŷ Gobaith, Wales’ two children’s hospices.
 You can do this quickly and easily here: www.writetothem.com
If you’re not sure what to say then you could use this text as a template:
Dear [NAME OF MS]
In 2023, Wales’ two children’s hospices TÅ· Gobaith and TÅ· Hafan launched a report which showed there are 3655 children in Wales who have a life shortening condition. A number that has been increasing for years, and remains on an upward trajectory.Â
And yet, as these numbers increase, the funds available to children’s hospices are on the opposite path.
In 2021/2022, Welsh Government met a new funding promise to provide 21% of care costs for both hospices. Unfortunately, in real terms this recurrent funding has fallen to just under 12% of hospice care costs. And so the promise is no longer being fulfilled.Â
Tŷ Gobaith and Tŷ Hafan can provide support, services, and smiles to more of the 3655 families who are frightened, isolated, overwhelmed and face each day fearing it could be their child’s last.
This Children’s Hospice Week, TÅ· Gobaith and TÅ· Hafan are calling on the Welsh Government to provide them with the support, help and funds so that they can be there for every child and family who turn to them. They are calling on Welsh Government to fulfil the promise of sustainable funding and a secure future to support this growing cohort of vulnerable young people.Â
I am writing to you to ask you to lend your voice to TÅ· Gobaith and TÅ· Hafan. To support them in their aims of reaching and helping more children with life threatening conditions and their families across Wales.Â
For Children’s Hospice Week, TÅ· Hafan and TÅ· Gobaith will be bringing 3655 butterflies to the steps of the Senedd. 10% in full, bright colour to represent the children who are already being helped, and 3,251 in grey to represent the children they have still to reach.Â
I am asking you to go and see the butterflies on Tuesday June 18th between 10.30am and 12.30pm. To speak to TÅ· Hafan and TÅ· Gobaith and to give them the opportunity to continue to be there through life, death and beyond. The opportunity to reach some of those 3251 other butterflies.Â
Because every child’s life, however short, should be a life well lived.
Thank you in advance for your help. I look forward to hearing from you.
What we are doing
In 2023, Wales’ two children’s hospices Tŷ Gobaith and Tŷ Hafan launched a report which showed there are 3,655 children in Wales who have a life shortening condition.
But between us we are currently only able to reach around 1 in 10 of them, which equates to just over 400 children.
To illustrate the scale of the challenge we are facing we have created one giant butterfly, made up of 3,655 smaller butterflies – one for each child. 10% are in full, bright colour to represent the children who are already being helped, and 3,251 in grey to represent the children we have still to reach.
Why a butterfly? Because butterflies are a symbol of the children’s hospice movement UK-wide.
On Tuesday 18 June we will be unfurling our #ReachEveryChild butterfly on the steps of the Senedd between 10.30am and 12.030pm to raise awareness of the challenge we are facing.
We would like to thank all those volunteers from a number of companies who have worked to hard to help our team to create this.