Debbie Jacobs
26 Nov 2025
An independent evaluation has confirmed that the Kentown Children’s Palliative Care Programme — a three-year pilot launched in 2022 and running until August 2025 — is transforming support for children with life-limiting conditions and their families across Lancashire and South Cumbria.
An independent evaluation has confirmed that the Kentown Children’s Palliative Care Programme — a three-year pilot launched in 2022 and running until August 2025 — is transforming support for children with life-limiting conditions and their families across Lancashire and South Cumbria.
Funded by The Kentown Wizard Foundation and delivered with a network of charity partners, the programme was created to address persistent gaps in statutory provision. By bringing together Kentown Support Nurses, Family Support Workers, and Service Coordinators, it introduced a coordinated, family-centred model of care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses.
In 2025, the programme’s founder, Dr Helena Dunbar, went on to establish Kentown Support, an independent not-for-profit organisation backed by The Kentown Wizard Foundation, ensuring the long-term sustainability and growth of this work.
Strong Outcomes
The evaluation, carried out by Edge Hill University, found that the programme:
Filled a crucial gap in statutory services, providing earlier access to specialised palliative care.
Supported more than 250 families, with over a third benefitting from all three elements of the model.
Enabled earlier identification and intervention, addressing concerns that families were previously referred too late or not recognised at all.
Improved opportunities for Advance Care Planning, with health professionals reporting that proactive conversations — often delayed until end of life — are now happening much sooner.
The findings come at a time when families across the UK continue to face disjointed services and unclear pathways to support. The evaluation shows that the Kentown model offers a practical, effective solution and demonstrates the value of holistic paediatric palliative care.
Reflections from Programme Leaders
Ian Jones, CEO of The Kentown Wizard Foundation, said: “The Kentown Support team has established a new, collaborative way of working that has genuinely made a massive difference to so many children and families going through the most difficult times. The remarkable feedback from families… is truly special and a major credit to all involved. The most exciting aspect is that this ground breaking programme is now being rolled out nationally.”
Dr Helena Dunbar, CEO of Kentown Support, added: “By reframing palliative care as an integrated part of everyday support rather than a last-resort conversation, we are encouraging more open dialogue around care preferences and planning. For our programme to be described as a ‘catalyst for cultural change’ is extraordinary. We look forward to expanding our work with health systems and new charity partners across the UK.”
Expanding the Model Across the UK
Kentown Support will continue funding its charity partners in Lancashire and South Cumbria, enabling close collaboration with Kentown Support Nurses embedded in the five acute NHS Trusts. Building on the programme’s success, the model is now being expanded nationally, with a second programme established in Greater Manchester and a Centre of Excellence at King’s College London launched to drive research and professional development.
As Kentown Support continues to grow, its mission remains clear: to ensure every child with a life-limiting condition — and every family supporting them — has access to timely, coordinated and compassionate palliative care.