Spiritual Care with Sick Children and Young People

Rev. Paul Nash has worked at Birmingham Children's Hospital since 2002, and has been Chaplaincy Team Leader (Senior Chaplain) since 2004. He is the director of Red Balloon Resources, for paediatric daily, palliative end of life and bereavement care for children, families and staff, and the co-founder and co-convenor of the Paediatric Chaplaincy Network for Great Britain and Ireland. He is the academic lead on children's and young people's chaplaincy modules in a partnership with Staffordshire University. His current research involves developing distinctive standards, competencies and best practice for paediatric chaplaincy. Paul lives in Birmingham, UK.Kathryn Darby has been a Chaplain at the Birmingham Children's Hospital since 2006, is an ordained Methodist Minister and a trained counsellor. She has published research on the spiritual needs of children with cancer and is currently engaged in further research in developing tools for spiritual care with children who are sick. She takes a particular interest in self-care and building resilience for caring professions and runs retreats, mindfulness sessions and projects, including a choir, as part of offering support. She is involved in Spiritual Direction and the Retreat movement. Kathryn lives in Birmingham, UK.Rev. Dr Sally Nash is an experienced researcher, author and educator. She is Director of the Midlands Institute for Children Youth and Mission and has published in the field of spirituality, spiritual and religious needs of sick children, work with young people, and reflective practice. She is the academic lead for the Birmingham Children's Hospital Chaplaincy team on research, designs spiritual care resources and has also been involved as a volunteer in youth work with young people with mental health problems at the hospital. Sally lives in Birmingham, UK

I wish I had had this book when I first became a hospital chaplain. Thrust as I was on day one into the paediatric department (on the grounds that I was the only chaplain who had children!) I was left to fend for myself in a field that I have since learnt has a unique set of parameters and skill-set required to fully engage with sick children, young people and their families. If you are ever in a similar boat to me - READ THIS BOOK FIRST. This book is sure to become required reading for any paediatric chaplain and I would commend it to anyone who wishes to engage holistically with sick children in their care.... Impressively structured, the authors weave together intelligent theological reflection, experienced praxis and case studies that illuminate the principles being revealed and discussed.

• Preface. 1. Introduction to Spiritual Care. 2. Best Practice Principles for Spiritual Care. 3. Interpretive Spiritual Encounters. 4. Spiritual Care, Illness and Identity. 5. Creating Spaces for Spiritual Care. 6. Meaning Making with Children and Young People. 7. Spiritual Care with Families. 8. Spiritual Practices for Spiritual Care. 9. Tensions and Issues. 10. Facilitating Spiritual Literacy. Conclusion. Appendix 1. Spiritual Care Activity Recording Sheet. Appendix 2. Sample Activity Instructions. Appendix 3. Principles, Practice Examples and Activities Grid. Bibliography. Index of Activities.