Uenuku Ki Te Rangi
(The comforter of all people)
NEW WEBSITE CURRENTLY BEING DESIGNED… WATCH THIS SPACE!
Welcome to Rainbow Place, a Family Centered Service. We provide specialised Therapeutic Support for children and young people experiencing change, loss and grief around the serious illness and/or death of a loved one.
Rainbow Place also provides specialised Nursing Support for children and young people who themselves have a serious illness. This includes life-limiting, life-threatening or palliative illnesses. (See definition of terms). Working in partnership with families, we provide specialised nursing care for childen and young people in the community, at home, in school and in hospital.
At Rainbow Place we offer one or two night ‘sleepovers’ for sick children / young people, with accomodation available for families to stay with their child.
The package of care for sick children / young people and their families also includes counselling and theraputic support.
All services are provided at no charge to patients and families.
Philip Darbyshire’s Report of Rainbow Place
Click here to download the adults version of the Philip Darbyshire Report of Rainbow Place (PDF File).
Click here to download the children and young people’s version of the Philip Darbyshire Report of Rainbow Place (PDF File).
Click here to download the visual presentation of the Philip Darbyshire Report of Rainbow Place for children and young peoples. (PPT File).
Who can be referred?
- Children and young people affected by the serious illness of a loved one
- Children and young people who themselves have a serious illness (see definition of terms)
- Children and young people affected by the death of a loved one no matter what the cause
To download the Rainbow Place referral form click here.
What is serious illness? 
Rainbow Place defines serious illness as a diagnosed medical condition that requires ongoing treatment and care which significantly impacts on the quality of life for the client and their family. Serious illness includes life-limiting, life-threatening or palliative illness.
Definition of Terms
Life-limiting conditions are those for which there is no reasonable hope of cure and from which the patient will die. Many of these conditions cause progressive deterioration rendering the patient increasingly dependent on carers.
Life-threatening conditions are those in which medical intervention may prove successful but carry a substantial possibility of premature death.
Palliative care for patients is an active and total approach to care, embracing physical, emotional, social and spiritual elements. It focuses on enhancing the quality of life for the patient and support for the family. It includes the management of distressing symptoms, provision of respite and care through death and bereavement.
Who can refer? 
- Families, Friends and relatives
- Healthcare Professionals
- Schools
- Social Services
Support is avaliable at Rainbow Place, in the home or other community settings
Rainbow Place provides…
Specialised Theraputic Support for children and young people experiencing change, loss and grief around the serious illness and/or death of a loved one.
The Rainbow Place team offers… 
- One-on-one counselling
- Group Workshops
- Family Therapy
- Teen Support Group
- Art Therapy
- Memory Making
- Sandplay Therapy
- Child Centred Play Therapy
- Directed Hospital Play
- Story Telling and Drama
Rainbow Place also has a resource library and provides community education.
Rainbow Place also provides… 
Specialised Nursing Support for children and young people who themselves have a serious illness. This includes life-limiting, life-threatening or palliative illnesses. (See definition of terms). Working in partnership with families, we provide specialised nursing care for childen and young people in the community, at home, in school and in hospital.
At Rainbow Place we offer one or two night ‘sleepovers’ for sick children / young people, with accomodation available for families to stay with their child.
The package of care for sick children / young people and their families also includes counselling and theraputic support.
All services are provided at no charge to patients and families.
Meet the Team
Manager / Childrens Nurse - Penny
Nurses – Gail & Lynne
Theraputic Team – Lynda, Jenni, Sheryn & Anna
Administrator – Margaret
Volunteers – Marian, Paula, Loren, Julian, Linda, Paul, Angelique
Rainbow Place News and Events
Every Child Counts Award winners announced 
The winners of the annual Every Child Counts Awards were announced today at a special ceremony at parliament, hosted by the Minister for Social Development, Hon Paula Bennett. The annual Every Child Counts Awards celebrate the individuals and organisations working to improve the status and wellbeing of New Zealand children.
“The Every Child Counts Awards celebrate some of the amazing work people are doing in support of children and families. We want to highlight that work and encourage others to invest themselves in working for children too. There is no work more important than this,” said Liz Gibbs, Chair of Every Child Counts.
Organisational winner
The winner of the Every Child Counts organisational award is Rainbow Place – the Children & Young Peoples’ service of Hospice Waikato. Hospice Waikato is the only hospice in New Zealand to have a totally separate, designated service for children. Rainbow Place has grown from small beginnings in 2003 to a case load of 300+ in 2011. The service supports children and young people who have a life limiting or life threatening illness, or who are going through change, loss and grief because of the serious illness and/or death of a loved one. They believe passionately that children are not little adults, and that they need very different and specialised support and care. Packages of care include one on one counselling, family therapy and group workshops. The team can provide art therapy, play therapy and sand play therapy to name but a few.
Every Child Counts is a coalition led by Barnardos, Plunket, UNICEF, Save the Children and Te Kahui Mana Ririki working to increase the status and wellbeing of New Zealand children. www.everychildcounts.org.nz
Press Release from Scoop.
Press Release also on Stuff.co.nz. Please click here to view.
Rainbow Place Teen Support Group
This group meets the last Thursday of every month at 6pm. It is a chance for Rainbow Place teenagers to meet together socially, have fun and provide mutual support to each other. Please contact Rainbow Place if you are interested in joining this group.
Watch this space for further details!
Contact Details
Rainbow Place
334 Cobham Drive
Hillcrest
Hamilton 3216
Postal
PO Box 325
Waikato Mail Centre
Hamilton 3240
Phone: 07 859 3848
Fax: 07 859 3847
Email: rainbowplace@hospicewaikato.org.nz
Rainbow Place is based in Hamilton and operates in the Waikato, King Country and Thames/Coromandel regions. An advisory service is available outside these areas.
Rainbow Place is governed by Waikato Community Hospice Trust as a specialised service for children, young people and their families
