Macmillan Therapeutic Family Service

(Based at Colchester Hospital)

This service provides emotional and psychological support to children/teenagers (under the age of 18) and their families when someone close to them has a cancer diagnosis.

Based at Colchester Hospital in the Cancer Wellbeing and Information Centre,

To enquire about our Therapeutic Family Service, call us at the centre on 01206 745347 or call Marie directly on 07591 986 818. If there is no one in the office, there is a confidential answerphone where you can leave a message for Marie to call you back as soon as possible.

Marie works Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays until 2.30pm.

What can be offered to support you and your children/teenagers

Initially our Therapeutic Family Practitioner will contact you by phone to discuss your concerns. Sometimes it’s helpful to meet with you as a family to explore what support you may need.

Support may be one of the following: -

• Specific support, information or advice to you as a parent

• Advice and suggestions as to how you might start those difficult conversations with your children about someone having cancer and how to continue to support them

• Work directly with your children to explore coping strategies

• Liaise with your children’s school or college

• Different resources that could help you as a family cope together

• Signpost and/or refer you to other specialists

• If needed, we can also offer help with preparing a child/teenager to cope with the loss of someone special

Workshops for children/teenagers

• Activity Days for young people who have a parent, grandparent or sibling with cancer

• Art and music workshops for children

  If you think your child may benefit from one of the above workshops then please talk to or telephone Marie who can provide you with details and any forthcoming dates

Support for schools

Information and resources are also available to professionals working with children and families affected by cancer. Please contact Marie for more information.