• Would you like to know more about helping your child to understand and cope with their heart condition?

• Would you like to meet other parents who have had similar experiences?

The Evelina London Paediatric Cardiology Team are running a group for parents of children with a heart condition. The group aims to provide a safe space for parents to share experiences and ideas with one another around supporting their child and family’s emotional well-being.  The following topics will be covered:

Part 1: Wednesday 3^rd March 2021: – 11.00- 13.30

• Helping children to express and manage their thoughts and emotions
• Supporting children with hospital visits and procedures

Part 2: Wednesday 17^th March 2021 – 11.00-14.00

• Supporting children to understand and cope with their heart condition
• Looking after yourselves as parents
• Guided massage session with Nicola Stewart (professional massage therapist). A self-help, stress release treatment designed to help relax tightened, restricted muscles. If you would like to know more please visit https://www.nicolastewart.com/about

The group is led by the Paediatric Psychology Team and supported by ECHO and Cardiac Clinical Nurse Specialists.

All parents/carers of children under the care of an Evelina Consultant Cardiologist are welcome.

Please note, if your child has additional neurodevelopmental and/or learning difficulties, we will be running a separate group for parents in February. Please see the echo website for details (LINK).

This group is for parents and carers only. We appreciate you may need to have children who are not at school or nursery present in the background. This is fine. We just ask that you be mindful of what they may overhear and turn off your camera if you prefer they do not appear on screen.

We are unfortunately not able to offer specific advice/support about individual children’s psychological or medical wellbeing. If you feel that you or your child would benefit from individual support from the psychology or medical teams, please discuss this with your child’s Consultant Cardiologist. They will be able to help you access more appropriate support.

If you would like to attend or would like any further information about the group please download and complete the referral form below, and send the completed form to: gst-tr.EvelinaCardiologyPsychologyGroups@nhs.net

Alternatively please email Safa Rehman (Secretary for Cardiology Psychology) at safa.rehman@nhs.net. if you have any questions or difficulties completing this form.