Very Special Kids (VSK) are a member of the Victorian Palliative Care Alliance, a group of 15 non-profit organisations with touch points across palliative care who have come together to support palliative care advocacy, as part of PCV’s Calls to Action for the 2026 State Election, Tomorrow’s Care Starts Today!
VSK provides holistic paediatric palliative care for Victorian children and young people with life-limiting conditions, supporting families from diagnosis through to bereavement. Guided by the belief that all children and young people have the right to quality of life, no matter how long or short their life may be, the service supports the physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing of children and their families.
Support includes medically supported respite, end-of-life and after-death care at Very Special Kids House, counselling and emotional support, sibling support programs, family activities, bereavement support, and volunteer programs delivered in partnership with major children's hospitals. Support extends beyond the child to parents, siblings and carers, recognising that a life-limiting condition affects the entire family.
Alongside the medical care provided by hospitals and healthcare teams, Very Special Kids contributes practical, emotional and psychosocial support to help families navigate the realities of childhood life-limiting illness. Care is delivered by a multidisciplinary team including nurses, social workers, psychologists, allied health professionals, trained volunteers and medical staff who work alongside families throughout their journey.
Collaboration is central to the delivery of paediatric palliative care in Victoria. Very Special Kids works closely with the Victorian Paediatric Palliative Care Program (VPPCP), hospitals and community health services to support coordinated, family-centred care across hospital, hospice and home settings. These partnerships help ensure children and families can access the support they need at different stages of their care.
Each year, hundreds of Victorian families access support through Very Special Kids. Services are available to eligible families from the time of diagnosis and can continue for as long as support is needed, including through bereavement.
To learn more about the impact of paediatric palliative care on children and families, read Monique's story, which shares one family's experience of navigating a childhood cancer diagnosis and the support they received throughout their journey.
Read Monique's story