'We’re not all about end of life. We’re about living well' - Naomi and Jack's reborn with new name and fresh message of hope
Children and young adult’s palliative care charity Naomi’s House and Jacksplace given fresh new look following extensive research
‘We offer so much that enriches the lives of the young adults and children we care for. We’re not all about end of life. We’re about living well.”
And with these thoughts at the forefront of its mind, an independent charity offering expert palliative care for babies, children and young adults in the Portsmouth area has undergone a name change and an overhaul in its branding.
Naomi House opened its doors nearly 30 years ago as a purpose-built hospice providing care, specialist short breaks and bereavement support for children. In 2010 Jack’s Place was added to complement these services with specialised care for young adults aged 16 to 35. But over those decades, it found being a ‘hospice charity’ led to misconceptions among families on what care and services were being provided from its home in Sutton Scotney, near Winchester - with many seeing it only as a place where young people go to die.
Welcome to... Naomi and Jack’s
This was backed up through extensive research. So, with the aim to break down those barriers, raise awareness and fully reflect its breadth of services, the charity is relaunching today under a new name and identity - Naomi and Jack’s.
Chief Executive Mark Smith, said: “We needed to make our charity stand out from the crowd so families and young adults can access our care without boundaries, communities can help fund our crucial services, Jack’s Place can take equal prominence to Naomi House, and to raise awareness of the breadth of specialist services we provide. As our services have grown, the way we present ourselves hasn’t and this needed to change. I believe our new name, look and feel will help us to extend our reach to more families while enhancing the scope and accessibility of our services.”
Naomi and Jack’s provides care for more than 600 families across southern central England. It has continued to grow the individualised care for babies, children and young adults and the support it offers to families to make the most of their precious time together, but found that the message was not getting across.
Misplaced visions of a ‘dark and sad place’
The charity committed to extensive research with families and young adults who use its services, alongside staff, volunteers, supporters, trustees, doctors and clinicians. More than 9,000 people were consulted for their views about the charity and misconceptions about hospices - and how it prevented some families from accessing help at the time they most needed it.
In talking to people the charity heard that the word hospice was a ‘massive barrier’ as it made parents feel like they were giving up on their children. Parents had visions of the centre only being for end of life care and ‘being a dark and sad place’. Others were not aware that Naomi and Jack’s cared for babies while others felt Jack’s Place – the only specialist centre for seriously ill young adults aged 16-35 in the south of England – was just an add-on to Naomi House’s children’s services
Erika Lipscombe, Director of Care at Naomi and Jack’s, said: “Our vision is to provide access to compassionate support and expert palliative care, when and where families need it: at hospital, at home and at our hospice. We will continue to develop our services to reach more babies, children, young adults and families and do more for those in our care.
“We have recruited a clinical nurse specialist so that a child or young adult can be cared for at the end of their life in the place they choose to be: at home, at the hospital or at our specialist centres. We are refurbishing our family accommodation so parents can enjoy a desperately needed break. And we are transforming our garden at Naomi House to create a peaceful, fun, sensory space for babies, children and families to enjoy.”
Naomi and Jack’s provides expert palliative care to babies, children and young adults with a range of specialist staff from paediatric palliative care consultants and doctors to clinical nurse specialists, physiotherapists and more. It also offers specialist short breaks, emergency respite, therapeutic support, community outreach, end of life care, bereavement support, play and activities, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy. Services are available 24 hours, 365 days a year.
‘Full lives, however short’
Young adults from Jack’s Place have been central to the charity’s new branding and design. They chose the colours, typefaces and shaped the new look and feel. The charity also created a new strapline: ‘Full lives, however short.’ This removes the word ‘hospice’ and focuses on the positivity of living, while acknowledging death and dying is representative of palliative care.
Referring to the strapline, Dr Mike Miller, patron of Naomi and Jack’s and retired paediatric palliative care consultant, said: “ We offer so much that enriches the lives of the young adults and children we care for. We’re not all about end of life. We’re about living well.”
Jane, mum of Amanda who used to visit Naomi House and Jack’s Place, was on the steering committee for the brand review. She added: “The new strapline represents Amanda. She got told she had a short life, she was quite matter of fact about it, but she was determined that it wasn’t going to stop her doing what she wanted to do.”
The charity also needs to increase awareness of Jack’s Place. Young adults who visited the centre for care felt part of a children’s service, rather than having a space of their own. So, the name has been simplified to ensure Jack’s Place has equal prominence.
The £9m annual funding challenge
The change comes at a time when it has never been more expensive to provide palliative care for babies, children and young adults. Naomi and Jack’s need to raise more than £9m per year to reach every family who needs its services, and less than 15% of that comes from government funding. So it has never been more important for the charity to be clear about the care it provides and how local communities can help.
Ben, dad of Teddy who came to Naomi House at the end of his life, said: “I wish more people knew how important Naomi and Jack’s is. The rebrand will reach out and give more people understanding of what the facilities are. This place needs to be here, forever. So, it’s really important to encapsulate everything that Naomi and Jack’s does.”
To find out more about Naomi and Jack’s, visit their website at:https://www.naomihouse.org.uk