Our Family & Youth Support Manager Cathy Dalton and Research & Policy
Officer Joan Aiken presented at the All-Island Pediatric Conference on the 17th January 2024 at Ballymascanlon Hotel in Dundalk.
They presented work on the ‘In Hospital Support’ Children’s Heartbeat Trust offers families and young people as well as an award-winning poster on the impact on the mental health of those who took part in our 2023 Summer Blast residential.
One of many key findings from the residential showed that 33% (4/12) of participants had DASS-Y (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales for Youth) Scores for stress prior to the camp graded as moderate to severe. This improved to 100% of participants who had (12/12) normal scores after camp.
“We were delighted to speak today on the conference theme of, ‘Building a World Class Service’ which we at Children’s Heartbeat Trust offer through our Youth and Family support services for our heart families. The insight we gain from working so closely with families throughout their heart journeys means we can help continue to ensure they are at the centre of all congenital cardiology services.” Cathy Dalton, Family & Youth Support Manger.
We were delighted to have been able to share knowledge, experiences, and ideas with all the attendees and keynote speakers, that can shape the future of congenital heart disease management on the Island.
We’d also like to thank Clark Clinic Ward Sister, Anastasia Porter, for sharing her first-hand experience in the in-hospital conversation.
Well done to Cathy & Joan for an amazing presentation!
CHT Team ❤️
