Background and Purpose
Childhood cancer patients and their families experience significant psychosocial needs that often go unseen. Managing these profound emotional and practical needs requires investment in holistic services that support and empower families. Redkite’s Family Wellbeing and Transition Program (FWTP) is a partnership between Redkite and two major children’s hospitals, whereby a Redkite wellbeing coordinator is embedded into the paediatric oncology ward to work collaboratively alongside the hospital team. The program aims to provide families with the knowledge and support needed to navigate the myriad emotional and practical challenges of childhood cancer, both during and post treatment, ultimately improving psychosocial wellbeing and fostering greater resilience.
Sample and Methods
An evaluation of the program was undertaken in 2024/25, involving 14 in-depth interviews with healthcare professionals and 14 families impacted by childhood cancer at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, to assess the impact of the program and inform its future scale-up.
Results
The results indicate that several key factors are contributing to the program’s perceived effectiveness, including the on-site presence of the Redkite coordinators, the strong collaboration and communication between partners, the trust associated with an organisation that has over 40 years of paediatric oncology experience, and the tailored service offerings that support improved patient outcomes.
Conclusion and Implications
Redkite’s pioneering intervention and partnership model provides a person-centered and holistic support approach that complements the high standards of care already practiced in participating hospitals. The insights indicate that the program is feasible to implement and would greatly benefit other Australian children’s cancer hospitals.