Children's Hospices Across Scotland

The organisation was formed as the Children's Hospice Association Scotland in February 1992 by a group of professionals and parents of children with life-shortening conditions who had travelled to England for hospice care. In 2018/19, CHAS supported 465 children with a life-shortening condition, and their siblings, parents and wider families.{{Cite book|title=Annual Report and Accounts 2018/19|publisher=CHAS|year=2019|url=https://chas-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sites/59dde5b10f7d33796f8cd11b/assets/5d8099ae0f7d3328733f0da1/CHAS_Annual_Report_and_Accounts_2018-19-low_res.pdf|pages=2|access-date=22 October 2019|archive-date=22 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022224324/https://chas-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sites/59dde5b10f7d33796f8cd11b/assets/5d8099ae0f7d3328733f0da1/CHAS_Annual_Report_and_Accounts_2018-19-low_res.pdf|url-status=live}} The care provided is multi-disciplinary, including from doctors, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, play specialists and others. CHAS also employs medical and nursing staff who work in hospitals alongside NHS doctors and nurses. In 2017 the organisation rebranded as Children’s Hospices Across Scotland.{{cite news |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/balloch-childrens-hospice-charity-chas-10571381 |title=Balloch children's hospice charity CHAS unveils new look |first=Jenny |last=Foulds |website=www.dailyrecord.co.uk |date=6 June 2017 |access-date=25 June 2023 |archive-date=25 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625170541/https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/balloch-childrens-hospice-charity-chas-10571381 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/third-sector-awards-2018-brand-development-childrens-hospices-across-scotland/communications/article/1492653 |title=Third Sector Awards 2018: Brand development - Children's Hospices Across Scotland |work=Third Sector |date=21 September 2018 |access-date=25 June 2023 |archive-date=25 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625172047/https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/third-sector-awards-2018-brand-development-childrens-hospices-across-scotland/communications/article/1492653 |url-status=live }}

Rachel House supports children and young people at end of life, and with short breaks. Work to build Rachel House, Scotland’s first children's hospice, started in December 1994. The land to build Rachel House in Kinross was donated by the Montgomery family who owned Kinross House which stands next to the hospice. Rachel House was named after Rachel, Lady MacRobert, in recognition of a £2 million donation by The MacRobert Trust. A 17-month fundraising appeal by the Daily Record newspaper raised £4 million towards the £10 million building cost and the full target was raised 13 months later. On 16 December 1994 celebrity supporter Phillip Schofield cut the first turf for Rachel House, assisted by children from Kinross Primary School. The hospice was opened in March 1996{{cite news|last=Adams|first=Lisa|title=The girl none of us will ever forget|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid%3D16895246%26method%3Dfull%26siteid%3D66633%26headline%3Dthe-girl-none-of-us-will-ever-forget--name_page.html|access-date=3 April 2006|newspaper=Daily Record|date=3 April 2006|archive-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218232922/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid%3D16895246%26method%3Dfull%26siteid%3D66633%26headline%3Dthe-girl-none-of-us-will-ever-forget--name_page.html|url-status=live}} by The Princess Royal.

A fundraising appeal to build Scotland’s second hospice Robin House in Balloch near Loch Lomond began in 2001 with readers of the Sunday Post helping raise the £10{{nbsp}}million needed to complete the project. Robin House was named after the European robin bird. In May 2003, the work began on the building with celebrity supporters Ewan McGregor and Sharleen Spiteri cutting the first turf with six-year-old Robyn Watterson who at the time used Rachel House.{{cite news |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3027853.stm |title=Stars start work at £10m hospice |date=14 May 2003 |access-date=14 July 2014 |archive-date=5 July 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040705033312/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3027853.stm |url-status=live }} Robin House opened in August 2005 and supports children at end of life and with short breaks.

In 2003 Rachel House at Home launched, offering a home care service to families in their own homes. The service originally operated out of The Highland Hospice in Inverness and moved to Ardross Terrace, Inverness in June 2009.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8117149.stm|work=BBC News |date=24 June 2009 | title=Hospice opens new office in north}} In December 2008 Rachel House at Home became known as CHAS at Home. In December 2011 CHAS at Home launched an Aberdeen base at Rosemount Place, Aberdeen.{{cite news|url=http://www.ellontimes.co.uk/news/health/chas-at-home-service-launches-in-aberdeen-1-1984103 |title=CHAS at home service launches in Aberdeen|newspaper=Ellon Times |date=24 November 2011 |access-date=14 July 2014}} Now CHAS at Home supports families across every local authority in Scotland, operating out of four hubs across Scotland. In 2018/19, CHAS at Home supported approximately 1200 visits across every local authority area in Scotland, providing both planned care and emergency end-of-life care. In 2018/19, a volunteer-led home support service was established to support families of children with life-shortening conditions and operates in east central Scotland.

Most children who die from a life-shortening condition die in hospital. CHAS employs 3 Diana Children's Nurses. These are senior nursing roles who work across NHS areas and are based in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.{{Cite web|url=http://www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk/child-services/communities-of-practice/palliative-care-for-babies-children-and-young-people/diana-children's-nurses-chas.aspx|title=Diana Children's Nurses - NES}} In 2019, a new hospital-based CHAS team was established in the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. This is the first children's palliative care team in Scotland.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chas.org.uk/news-articles/new-team-at-the-glasgow-childrens-hospital|title=New team at Glasgow children's hospital|website=CHAS|access-date=22 October 2019|archive-date=22 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022224319/https://www.chas.org.uk/news-articles/new-team-at-the-glasgow-childrens-hospital|url-status=live}} CHAS also jointly employs consultant-level posts to form teams with NHS Lothian, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and in NHS Ayrshire and Arran. A report on work in neonatal palliative care in Edinburgh was published in 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chas.org.uk/news-articles/chas-partnership-with-nhs-lothian-enhances-neonatal-care-and-family-support|title=Neonatal care|website=CHAS|access-date=22 October 2019|archive-date=22 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022224323/https://www.chas.org.uk/news-articles/chas-partnership-with-nhs-lothian-enhances-neonatal-care-and-family-support|url-status=live}}

CHAS published two pieces of research in 2007 undertaken with the Cancer Care Research Centre, University of Stirling. The first evaluated future research priorities for CHAS{{cite journal|last1=Malcolm|first1=M |last2=Forbat |first2=E |last3=Knighting |first3=K |last4=Kearney |first4=N|journal=Palliative Medicine|year=2008|volume=22|issue=8 |pages=921–928 |title=Exploring the experiences and perspectives of families using a children's hospice and professionals providing hospice care to identify future research priorities for children's hospice care |doi=10.1177/0269216308098214|pmid=18838487 |hdl=1893/1022 |s2cid=25761132 |hdl-access=free }} and the second identified the existing home care service.{{cite report|last1=Knighting |first1=K |last2=McCann |first2=L |last3=Forbat |first3=L |last4=Kearney |first4=N |title=An Evaluation of the Rachel House at Home Service for the Children's Hospice Association Scotland |date=December 2007 |series=University of Stirling |url=http://www.chas.org.uk/assets/0000/0023/Evaluation_of_Rachel_House_at_Home_Service.pdf |access-date=23 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208034039/http://www.chas.org.uk/assets/0000/0023/Evaluation_of_Rachel_House_at_Home_Service.pdf |archive-date=8 December 2015 |url-status=dead }}

In 2008, the Scottish Government published the report Living and dying well: a national action plan for palliative and end of life care in Scotland.{{cite book|url=http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/239823/0066155.pdf|title=Living and dying well : a national action plan for palliative and end of life care in Scotland|date=2008|publisher=Scottish Government|location=Edinburgh|isbn=978-0-7559-5889-4|access-date=January 1, 2019|archive-date=22 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222122615/http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/239823/0066155.pdf|url-status=dead}} CHAS staff members were integral to the consultation on children’s and teenage palliative care.{{cite web|title=Cross-party groups in the Scottish Parliament Annual Return Form |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp/crosspartygroups/groups/palliative-docs/palcare_annualRtn08-09.pdf |publisher=Scottish Government |access-date=17 June 2009}}{{cite web |url=http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2011/01/27090834/7 |title=Living and Dying Well: Building on Progress |publisher=Scottish Government |date=January 2011 |access-date=11 December 2015 |archive-date=14 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170514230749/http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2011/01/27090834/7 |url-status=live }}

In June 2011 a new research project undertaken by the Cancer Care Research Centre at the University of Stirling was published investigating the experiences and symptoms of children and young people with life-shortening conditions.{{cite journal |last1=Malcolm |first1=C |last2=Forbat |first2=L |last3=Anderson |first3=G |last4=Gibson |first4=F |last5=Hain |first5=R |title=Challenging symptom profiles of life-limiting conditions in children: A survey of care professionals and families |journal=Palliative Medicine |volume=25 |issue=4 |pages=357–364 |doi=10.1177/0269216310391346 |pmid=21228088 |date=April 2011|s2cid=206487574 }}{{cite web|author1=Malcolm, Adams|author2=Anderson, Gibson|others=Hain, Morley and Forbat|title=The symptom profile and experience|url=http://www.cancercare.stir.ac.uk/reports/2011%20-%20Reports/Children%20with%20rare%20life-limiting%20conditions-%20The%20symptom%20profile%20and%20experience%20(full%20report).pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911170048/http://www.cancercare.stir.ac.uk/reports/2011%20-%20Reports/Children%20with%20rare%20life-limiting%20conditions-%20The%20symptom%20profile%20and%20experience%20(full%20report).pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-09-11|publisher=Cancer Care Research Centre, University of Stirling|access-date=20 June 2011}}

In 2015, research was commissioned from the University of York to calculate the prevalence of children with life-shortening conditions in Scotland. This was the first single-nation study of such prevalence in the world and was published in a report called ChiSP (Children in Scotland Requiring Palliative Care).{{Cite web|url=https://www.chas.org.uk/news-articles/children-in-scotland-requiring-palliative-care-chisp-report|title=CHISP Study|access-date=22 October 2019|archive-date=22 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022224321/https://www.chas.org.uk/news-articles/children-in-scotland-requiring-palliative-care-chisp-report|url-status=live}} In 2019, and update of the report was commissioned by CHAS from NHS Scotland's Information Services Division. The CHISP2 study identified that the number of children with life-shortening conditions is growing and that the majority of children who die from life-shortening conditions are under 5. The total number of children and young people with life-shortening condition aged 0–21 is now at 16,000; many of these children are stable but about one third have had recent contact with a hospital team.{{Cite book|title=CHISP2|publisher=CHAS|year=2019|url=https://chas-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sites/59dde5b10f7d33796f8cd11b/assets/5c9e29910f7d334e6823390a/ChiSP2-Report.pdf|access-date=22 October 2019|archive-date=22 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022224320/https://chas-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sites/59dde5b10f7d33796f8cd11b/assets/5c9e29910f7d334e6823390a/ChiSP2-Report.pdf|url-status=live}}

CHAS has been registered as a charity since 5 February 1992, currently registered as a charitable company with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), Scottish charity number SC 019724.{{cite web |title=Search OSCR: Charity Details: Children's Hospice Association Scotland, SC019724 |url=http://www.oscr.org.uk/search-oscr/charity-details?number=SC019724 |publisher=Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) |access-date=11 December 2015 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222132151/http://www.oscr.org.uk/search-oscr/charity-details?number=SC019724 |url-status=dead }} The Chief Executive is Rami Okasha{{Cite web|url=https://www.chas.org.uk/news-articles/chas-appoints-new-chief-executive|title=CHAS Appoints New Chief Executive | CHAS|website=www.chas.org.uk}} and the Chairperson is Peta Hay.{{Cite web|title=About CHAS|url=https://www.chas.org.uk/about-us/our-stories/our-trustees|access-date=30 May 2020|archive-date=30 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930180454/https://www.chas.org.uk/about-us/our-stories/our-trustees|url-status=live}}

For the financial year 2021/22, CHAS spent £19.8m{{nbsp}}on its activities.{{cite web |last=CHAS |date=2022 |title=Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22 |url=https://chas-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sites/59dde5b10f7d33796f8cd11b/assets/6332bd7c0f7d3351cb3a55bc/CHAS-Annual-Report-and-Accounts-2021-22.pdf |publisher=Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) |access-date=16 May 2023 |archive-date=16 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230516185512/https://chas-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sites/59dde5b10f7d33796f8cd11b/assets/6332bd7c0f7d3351cb3a55bc/CHAS-Annual-Report-and-Accounts-2021-22.pdf |url-status=live }} CHAS employs 350 staff and has 788 volunteers supporting CHAS in care services, fundraising, retail and administration.

CHAS received £7m of its funding from NHS health boards and £700k from local authorities. The majority of its funding is provided by the general public through voluntary donations.

In addition to Rachel House and Robin House, CHAS operates out of offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Kinross and Stepps. CHAS has a small retail team based in Kinross who manage four charity shops. The head office is in Edinburgh, which is where the Chief Executive, Finance and Administration (IT, Finance and Facilities), Fundraising and Communications (Fundraising, Public Relations and Marketing) and Organisational Development (HR, Learning and Development and Volunteering) are based. CHAS also owns the Ardoch estate, which was gifted to the charity in 2021 and is run through a subsidiary company Ardoch Loch Lomond Ltd.{{Cite web |title=CHAS {{!}} Ardoch, Loch Lomond |url=https://www.ardochlochlomond.com/about-ardoch/chas/ |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=www.ardochlochlomond.com |archive-date=9 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609195330/https://www.ardochlochlomond.com/about-ardoch/chas/ |url-status=live }}

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Category:1992 establishments in Scotland

Category:Charities based in Edinburgh

Category:Children's charities based in Scotland

Category:Organizations established in 1992

Category:Palliative care in Scotland

Category:Hospices in Scotland