Referrals Criteria
We can support babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, and their families, from the point of diagnosis.
We can also provide bereavement support to families who live in our catchment area whose child died within the last three years.
Our support is always provided free-of-charge to families. A referral can come from any source, including from the family themselves.
Children and Young People can be referred to Noah’s Ark if they meet these criteria:
- The baby, child or young person lives within the catchment area of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Islington, Haringey or Hertsmere (Hertfordshire).
- The baby, child or young person is aged under 18 at the time of referral (0-17 years).
- The baby, child or young person has a life-limiting or life-threatening condition, according to these four ‘Together for Short Lives’ definitions:
- Life-threatening conditions for which curative treatment may fail e.g. cancer, irreversible organ failure.
- Conditions where premature death is anticipated but intensive treatment may prolong life, e.g. complicated cystic fibrosis, HIV.
- Progressive conditions without curative treatment options where treatment is exclusively palliative e.g. Battens disease, mucopolysaccharidoses.
- Conditions causing severe neurological disability leading to susceptibility to health complications and the likelihood of premature death, e.g. severe cerebral palsy, multiple disabilities following brain or spinal cord injury. Children in this group may need further assessment if eligibility is not clear using these criteria.
Referrals for Bereavement Support
We consider bereavement referrals for families of any child who has died, whether they were known to Noah’s Ark or not and whatever the cause of death, providing the following conditions are met:
- The child was under the age of 18 at the time of their death.
- Their death was within the last year.
- The family lives within our catchment area.
