A children's palliative care programme, designed to care for seriously ill children in Lancashire and South Cumbria, has been described as "incredible" by one mum.

The aim of the Kentown Children's Palliative Care Programme is to care for and support seriously ill children and their families, such as Layla, who became critically ill after being born premature.

Born six weeks early, Layla suffered a cardiac arrest that led to hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, a brain injury that occurs when a baby does not receive enough oxygen.

She spent 89 days in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Layla with Rainbow Trust family support worker (Image: Rainbow Trust Children's Charity)

Clara, Layla's mum, said: "Going through what we went through is hard, we really struggled.

"We were emotionally drained, mentally exhausted.

"Before we were referred into the programme, the support we received was mainly medical.

"To have family support worker Brodie, from Rainbow Trust, who is not there in a medical capacity, who is there to support us in any way we need is amazing."

The programme offers clinical, emotional, and practical care at home and in the community, designed around the needs of each child and family.

Clara said: "The financial help from Together for Short Lives' Family Support Hub has been incredible.

"Without this support I would never have got through it."

Funded by The Kentown Wizard Foundation, the three-year pilot programme was developed in partnership with Together for Short Lives, Rainbow Trust Children's Charity, and the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board.

Nick Carroll, chief executive of Together for Short Lives, said: "Consistent, high-quality children's palliative care can help families make the most of every precious moment together.

"But if families can't access vital services, everything can seem like a battle.

"Every day they face uncertainty, overwhelming responsibility and disruption to family life."

An independent evaluation by Edge Hill University found the programme reached more than 250 families.

Ian Jones, chief executive of The Kentown Wizard Foundation, said: "The Kentown Support team have established a new collaborative way of working that has made a genuinely massive difference to so many children and families going through the most difficult of times."

Following the pilot programme, Kentown Support is funding a further two years of the programme in Lancashire and South Cumbria and expanding the model into Greater Manchester.