Bringing comfort and connection before bedtime

When a child is in hospital, familiar bedtime routines are often lost. What should be a comforting part of the day can become a time of anxiety, clinical activity and uncertainty.

ECHO’s Bedtime Stories programme helps restore those moments of calm.

Our team visits children with congenital heart disease (CHD) and their families at the bedside to share stories before sleep. Wherever possible, we encourage parents, carers and siblings to join in, creating meaningful moments of connection.

You might also like to join our weekly group sessions on the ward.

Who can be referred?

Cardiac children admitted to PICU, NICU or children’s cardiac wards can be referred by:

Healthcare professionals
Parents or carers
Young people and patients (where appropriate)

Following a referral, we’ll arrange a visit on the next available day.

What happens during a visit?

Our team provides gentle, age-appropriate storytelling at the bedside, helping to:

Comfort and distract children before sleep.
Encourage parents and carers to read with their child.
Include siblings whenever possible.
Create a calmer environment and help soften the noise and interruptions of the ward.
Visits are usually around 20 minutes and can be adapted to each family’s needs.

Why Bedtime Stories?

Reading together before bed can help children relax, reduce stress, strengthen family bonds and provide a reassuring sense of normality during a hospital stay.
For parents, it offers a simple but powerful way to comfort and connect with their child at a time when they may otherwise feel powerless.

Refer a family

If you know a child or family who would benefit from Bedtime Stories, we’d love to hear from you.

Healthcare professionals can refer directly, and families are also welcome to self-refer. Together, we can ensure every child experiences the comfort of a bedtime story, even while in hospital.

Our storytelling sessions are currently available in English. If your family would benefit from a different language, please let us know when making your referral. We will do our best to find a reader who can support your session.

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Referrer Details

Cardiac children admitted to PICU, NICU or children's cardiac wards can be referred by healthcare professionals, parents or carers, young people and patients (where appropriate).

Full name*

Job title (if healthcare professional) or relationship to the child (parent, carer or family member)*

Email address*

Telephone number

Patient information

First name*

Age*

Ward (PICU, NICU or Children's Cardiac Ward)*

Bed number*

Family information

Parent/carer name*

Parent email address

Parent phone number

Preferred language

Would siblings like to be included?

Any accessibility or communication needs we should be aware of?

Referral Information

Why are you referring this child/family for Bedtime Stories?*

Are there any particular interests, favourite books, characters or topics the child enjoys?

Is there anything our team should know before visiting? (For example, anxiety, sensory needs or communication preferences.)

Consent

I confirm that the parent/carer (or patient where appropriate) has agreed to this referral and understands that ECHO will visit to deliver a Bedtime Stories session.