We are delighted to be able to launch our Impact Report for March 2023. The ICPCN is the only global organisation working to improve access to palliative care for the more than 21 million children worldwide who need it. This Impact Report, our first, charts our progress in fulfilling that mission. It explains what we do, and how we do it. It highlights some of our most important work, demonstrating the impact we’ve had as the world leader in children’s palliative care. Through our network, ICPCN is uniquely placed to advise, educate and support on best practices in children’s palliative care at a national, regional, and international level. We aim to achieve our mission by raising awareness of children’s palliative care, advocating for the global development of children’s palliative care, expanding the evidence-base and sharing expertise, skills and knowledge. We do this through five strategic focus areas: Communication, Advocacy, Research, Education and Strategic Development.
We know that the need for children’s palliative care globally is huge. An estimated 21.2 million children need access to palliative care, with 8 million of those needing specialised care. Yet we know that the majority of those in need have limited or no access to such care, thus children and their families around the world are suffering needlessly. This is a human rights issue, and is not good enough. We know how to manage pain and symptoms, to care for children in a holistic manner – body, mind and spirit, and how to provide palliative care for them and their families in different settings – at home, in the community, in the hospital and in hospices – so why is it that so many still can’t access such care? How can we make a difference to the lives of these children and their families? What has been the impact of our work as ICPCN and how can we overcome ongoing challenges to care provision?
Measuring the impact of an organisation such as ICPCN can be a challenge as our work has a global remit, much of what we do is in collaboration with others, and bringing about sustainable change and developments can take many years. Yet at ICPCN we are committed to ensuring that all children living with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition and their families will have seamless access to palliative care regardless of how old they are, their gender, their race, their religion, what condition they have, or how long they have to live.
Whilst the majority of hands-on care is undertaken by our colleagues around the world, ICPCN believes that through our communication, advocacy, research, education and strategic development we make a difference to the provision of palliative care globally. ICPCN is recognised as the global leader for children’s palliative care. With a globally renowned expert leadership, a wealth of resources, membership of >4,300 individual and >430 organisations from at least 140 countries, we believe that we are uniquely placed to support the ongoing development of children’s palliative care worldwide.
Never before has there been such strong global commitment for the development of children’s palliative care. Will you join us as we harness this commitment and strive to ensure access to palliative care for all neonates, babies, children and young people in need around the world?