Clowndoctors

For a child in hospital or hospice care, there are often difficult issues alongside their medical condition, such as feelings of powerlessness, procedures which they may find painful, distressing or confusing, boredom, loss of self-esteem, difficulty with communication, social or physical skills. Our Clowndoctors programme offers an intervention which helps to normalise the health care environment for patients. Our practitioners provide contact that is playful and simply for and about the individual child.

Hearts&Minds' Clowndoctors programme was launched in 1999. Beneficiaries are children aged 6 months to 18 years with a wide range of medical conditions - from children who have a short stay in hospital for a routine procedure to children who are fully dependent and children with terminal conditions.

Activities often result in laughter but Clowndoctors is really about making a connection with the individual child. Benefits include:

• Participation
• Empowerment
• Access to the arts, via professional performing artists
• Well-being through laughter
• Distraction and stimulation
• Demystifying medical procedures
• Development of physical skills
• Development of communication and social skills
• Communication through the arts
• Accessibility for children with physical and learning disabilties
• Social inclusion

Our vision is to offer access to the Clowndoctors programme to every child admitted to hospital and hospice care in Scotland.