Stays at the House

We understand that caring for a child or young person with complex medical needs can significantly impact a family’s life. A short break stay at Hummingbird House can provide them with a chance to catch their breath, reconnect with the things that are important to them, and recharge – knowing their child is receiving the best possible care.

Hummingbird House families are eligible to spend 14 short break stay nights at the House, excluding crisis and symptom management stays, NDIS stays, and end of life and after death care.

As a child and family focused service, we recognising that no two families are the same, and that the needs of families change over time. For this reason, we work with families to help them decide what each one of their stays at Hummingbird House looks like, and how their child or young person is cared for during their time with us. This includes making sure their spiritual, religious, and cultural customs are incorporated into their care every time we welcome them through our doors.

Hummingbird House acknowledges that every family is unique, and embraces families of all faiths, cultures, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation. Our goal is to make them feel like they are at home, while in our care.

Below are the different kind of stays offered at Hummingbird House:

Care planning stays

A care plan stay refers to a guest and family’s first stay at Hummingbird House and is integral to our team getting to know the child or young person and their family. This three night (four day) stay provides us the opportunity to learn the child or young person’s routines and preferences and gives the family the opportunity to get to know us. Care plan stays are usually scheduled Monday to Friday, unless otherwise arranged with our clinical services team.

Short break stays

Planned short break stays at Hummingbird House provide a much-needed time out for guests and every member of the family. Some families choose to stay with their child, while others choose to leave their child in our capable hands, while they rest and recharge at home.

Depending on availability, families that stay at Hummingbird House have the option of sharing a suite with their child or staying downstairs in one of our family accommodation suites. Our family accommodation suites welcome everyone, from mum and dad, to brothers and sisters, to nan and pop. If it’s someone important to our guest, then it’s someone important to us.

Most families choose to stay with their child until they become familiar and confident with our service and care team before transitioning downstairs to our family accommodation suites. Once this familiarity and confidence is established, many families begin to feel comfortable leaving their child at Hummingbird House, which is a process we support them through.

Both of these options allow parents to simply be ‘mum’ or ‘dad’, brothers and sisters to have some down time, and the whole family to have a break – whether they are in their own home, or our home away from home. Families can also plan activities and outings with confidence, knowing that while their child is our guest, they are receiving expert, medically-supported care around the clock.

Symptom management stays

Whilst changes in a child’s symptoms can largely be managed at home, there are occasions when this is not possible due to the severity or complexity of the change. For many families, this may result in a hospital admission, which can be disruptive and unsettling for the child or young person and their family. Hummingbird House provides an alternative option, and additional layer of support, by offering symptom management stays at the House. These stays involve our clinical services team working in conjunction with the child or young person’s primary care team, to implement the recommended treatments or management strategies until they are ready to return home.

Crisis management stays

We understand that caring for a child with a life-limiting condition can’t always be planned, and that sometimes a child or family’s circumstances can change significantly resulting in increased distress. Unplanned crisis management stays have been designed to support families during these times. These stays are assessed on a case by case basis and adapted to suit each family’s needs, which are determined in consultation with our multidisciplinary team. When required, we will also work in conjunction with the child or young person’s primary care team.