Services for your child following a burn injury

Information for parents and carers

Burns Team

Download the leaflet

Burns Unit – Services for your child following a burn injury (612kB pdf)

Introduction

We understand that recovery from a burn injury can be challenging for some children and their families. As a result of this, we provide a range of services to offer continuing support for those who need it. This leaflet aims to inform you of the services available to you and your child following a burn injury.

These services are in addition to any individually-tailored support that you and your child may be receiving from the Burns Team. Services include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, scar management nurses and clinical psychology.

School Reintegration

Returning to school following a burn injury is an important part of a child’s recovery process. This can be a major step for you and your child, as well as for the staff and pupils of the school.

We are able to offer individually tailored support with the return to school process. This support can range from talking to your child’s teachers, to meeting with your child’s class or year group to share basic knowledge about burn injuries. This can take place:

• before your child returns to school
• when they have already returned to school
• at a later time, for example, if they are moving to a new school

Family weekends

Family weekends are held twice each year by burns services across the North of England and in conjunction with the Children’s Burn Trust and the Firefighters Charity. These are fully- funded residential weekends held in a firefighters rehabilitation centre in the Lake District.

The weekend includes activities such as swimming, arts and crafts and trips out in the local area. There are workshops on scar management and family stress following a burn injury.

The weekends offer an opportunity for children and families to meet others with similar experiences. The weekends are staffed by burn care professionals from several burns services in the North of England. Places for the weekends are limited

Burns Camp

Burns camps are run by Burns Units across the country each year. We have access to burns camps run for children across North/North West of England (although places are limited).

These burns camps are usually held during the summer holidays and involve staying at a residential activity centre for up to a week. The camps are available to any child who has experienced a burn injury and are an opportunity to spend time with other burn-injured children in a fun environment.

The camps involve a range of physical activities such as rock-climbing, abseiling and canoeing, as well as teamwork games. They are a great way to build confidence and self- esteem. The camps are run by fully trained staff, and your child would be accompanied by a member of staff from the Burns Unit at Alder Hey.

Transition

As a child becomes a young adult, a children’s hospital may not be the best place to have treatment. For young people with a burn injury living in our region who need to go to an adult service, their care will be transferred to the Mersey Burn Unit at Whiston Hospital.

We consider each person individually but most young people move to the care of on adult service between the ages of 16 and 18. If a young person needs any support during this process we can provide this, for example by arranging a visit to meet the burns team at Whiston Hospital.

Support agencies

Changing Faces
Tel: 0171 742 3206
www.changingfaces.co.uk

Children’s Burns Trust
Tel: 020 7881 0902
www.cbtrust.org.uk

Dan’s Fund for Burns
Tel: 020 7262 4039
www.dansfundforburns.org

Contact the Burns team

For more information about any of the services please contact one of the following:

Burns Unit

Tel: 0151 252 5400

Open 24/7

Physiotherapy department

Tel: 0151 252 5236

Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm

Occupational Therapy department

Tel: 0151 252 5453

Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm

Psychology department

Tel: 0151 252 5586

Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm

This leaflet only gives general information. You must always discuss the individual treatment of your child with the appropriate member of staff. Do not rely on this leaflet alone for information about your child’s treatment.

This information can be made available in other languages and formats if requested.

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