Resources for Families

Bereavement care is offered by Spiritual Care and Social Work. LHSC has an annual “Remembering the Children” memorial event each fall – a simple non-religious event that acknowledges all infants and children who have passed away over the year at LHSC. If you would like to attend, please sign the “Consent to be Contacted” form which your nurse will have available.

Black Health Navigators are trained and registered health-care workers available to help Black patients and families navigate the health-care system by providing information about health-care options and ensuring your voice is heard in conversations with care teams. Patients and families can access this service through Black Health. Visit the Black Health page for more information. 

The breast pump room is located in Zone B, 6th Floor, Room B6-235. Ask your nurse to provide you with containers and computer-generated labels for breast milk. Give labeled breast milk containers to your nurse for refrigeration or freezing. Breast pump kits may be purchased from the pharmacy.

The Business Office is located in Zone D, 3rd floor, Room D3-400. Please be aware that there may be charges for supplies and devices not covered by OHIP, such as crutches, breast pumps, surgical supplies, etc. These items can be paid for at the Business Office before you go home or you will receive an invoice by mail. 

If you find yourself struggling with a difficult ethical decision or wondering what the right thing is to do in a complex patient care situation, think about contacting the clinical ethics consultation service. Ethics consultations at LHSC are provided by staff who have been educated and trained to assist with ethical problems that arise in health-care settings. The ethicist is there to assist patients, families, and health-care providers to identify, clarify, and work through ethical concerns. More information is available on the Clinical Ethics page. 

LHSC offers free interpretation services for patients. We know how important it is for you to be understood by your care team and to be able to communicate in a language that you are comfortable with. For more information on accessing these services, please visit the Interpretation Services page.  

PBLO at Children’s Hospital is a medical-legal partnership that helps families identify and resolve legal problems that can impact a child’s health or the family’s ability to care for their child. Through this program, free legal assistance is provided to low-income families whose child is an inpatient or outpatient of Children’s Hospital. Your social worker can refer your case to our on-site triage lawyer.

The Paediatric Family Resource Centre offers patients and family members peer support, assistance with forms and applications, as well as easy and convenient information about your child’s health from a lived experience lens. The Centre is located on the 1st floor of Zone B (B1-006). More information, including hours of operation, can be found on the Paediatric Family Resource Centre page. 

Psychologists provide assessment and treatment to children and their families who are experiencing challenges in adjusting to illness, and teach coping strategies to help manage physical, emotional, and behavioural symptoms. They can also assess thinking and learning skills when these are affected by a medical condition, and provide recommendations for supports in the home, community, and school.

PSMSC is a service at Children’s Hospital that cares for infants, children, and teens with serious illnesses no matter the underlying disease or medical problem. PSMSC’s goal is to ease all kinds of pain and suffering with the hope that children with serious illness and those approaching the end of their lives can have the best quality of life possible.

The Parental Presence at Anaesthesia Induction (PPI) program offers an education session and/or tour of Day Surgery and the Operating Room to help you and your child get ready for the surgery experience. The PPI program helps prepare one caregiver to accompany and support their child in the operating room during the induction of anaesthesia. To learn more about the program and your eligibility to participate, please discuss it with your care team or Child Life Specialist. 

LHSC’s Patient Relations Specialists serve as a point of contact for questions, concerns, or feedback about care experiences at LHSC. For more information or to provide feedback about care you or a loved one experienced, please visit the Patient Relations page. 

The North Tower Prescription Centre is located on the first floor of Children’s Hospital (B1-001) next to the B1 Entrance and is open from 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, excluding holidays. Prescriptions may be filled at this location before you leave. Breast pump kits may be purchased.

If you have any questions or concerns about how we collect and share your personal or health information, contact us by phone at 519-685-8500 extension 32996 or by email at privacy@lhsc.on.ca.

Shared Decision Making is the process whereby health professionals and patients collaborate on medical decision-making with a more structured process that takes into account both the best evidence and patient values. It involves patients and caregivers working with health-care providers and a Decision Coach to make important choices about their care. Learn more on the Shared Decision Making page. 

Social Workers provide emotional support, advocacy, and information to patients and their families as they cope with the challenges brought on by illness, hospitalization, and treatment. They provide information about the hospital system and available supports in your community. They also can work with you and your family to access services and financial resources.

LHSC recognizes spiritual and religious need as a significant element in the holistic care of patients and families. Spiritual Care is a professional service that provides people-centred care by sensitively working with patients, families, partners, faith communities, and other hospital professionals. Our service is respectful and supportive of all spiritual and religious needs, beliefs, values, and practices. To learn more, please visit the Spiritual Care page. 

The Youth Indigenous Wellness Consultant supports mental health and cultural wellness for all Indigenous kids accessing care at Children’s Hospital. The consultant bridges traditional ways of knowing and western approaches to healing. To learn more, please visit the Youth Indigenous Wellness Program page.

Ashley’s Backyard is a nature-themed playroom that is designed for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged patients and their families to relax and play together. The room is available during the day and evenings for children to use with adult supervision.

The Hart Family, in partnership with Children’s Health Foundation, created Alex’s Butterfly Garden in honour of perinatal and infant loss. Alex’s Butterfly Garden offers a tranquil environment for quiet memories and personal reflection available for children, families, and staff to enjoy. This beautifully landscaped garden has benches and a soothing water fountain.

The family lounge is a space for all patients on B6 inpatient unit to relax and socialize with their family or friends. The lounge is also often used for special group events and family coffee hours.

The Indigenous Healing Space is open to all with priority to First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and Urban Indigenous Peoples people seeking care at LHSC and their families. To learn more, including how to access the space, please visit the Indigenous Healing Space page.

The Paediatric Family Resource Centre offers a quiet place for patients, family members, and staff to find information on a variety of children’s health-care topics and to access the internet. 

These rooms can be used for family meetings away from the bedside when sensitive or private information needs to be shared. They can be used for short-term breaks when a parent needs a quiet, private space to refresh themselves, or to make a private phone call. They are not to be used for sleeping. Please speak with your nurse or unit clerk before using the room.

All patients and families are welcome to enjoy the Sanctuary found in Zone C, level 3, room C3-402. This sacred space is available for prayer and quiet reflection 24/7.

This room is designed for school-aged patients and families to come and participate in activities such as crafts, board games, puzzles and LEGO. The activity room is open during the day, Monday-Saturday, for patients and families to use on their own. Child Life staff and volunteers also offer planned activities and special events in the activity room throughout each month.