Tom’s Trust has just launched four new guides to support parents of children facing a brain tumour diagnosis. The guides, which are available as both physical copies and as online downloads, were collaboratively created with the Neuro-oncology team at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
They tackle four key subjects; ‘Helping your child with thinking and planning skills’, ‘Looking after yourself’, ‘Memory strategies’ and ‘Details on who can help’. Each guide describes key terms, alongside advice, points to remember and helpful steps to take when facing common challenges.
Tom’s Trust commitment
The launch of the guides come as part of the charity’s 2025-2030 commitment to ensure that all children in the UK with brain tumours, and their families, will have access to psychological support – either through our gold standard in-hospital support services or via our online Resource Hub, where the guides are available for download.
Our Resource Hub
The online Resource Hub is continuously updated and is shaped by the experiences of Tom’s Trust families, both past and present. It is split into seven categories for users to explore, from children and young people and their families to clinical professionals and schools – ensuring that each person affected by a brain tumour diagnosis has a place to turn to.
Children and young people can discover tools and information packs to help them navigate their diagnosis, friendships and their schools. They can also discover children with similar experiences through the charity’s Young Ambassadors, page – whilst their siblings are able to download a free copy of the our ground-breaking Sibling Toolkit, a first for the UK when launched in 2024.
Alongside the newly published guides, parents and carers can now access a range of advice, expertise and further support from parents who have been on the same journey, and clinical psychologists. Tom’s Trust remains passionate about supporting children as they adjust to life after, or with a brain tumour – along with being there for the parents/carers and siblings too – because a child’s brain tumour diagnosis impacts the whole family.
Dr Lynda Teape
Dr Lynda Teape, Director of Services Development for Tom’s Trust says: “Access to specialist psychological support for our families is highly variable throughout the county and it takes time for us to fulfil our mission to fund clinical psychologists in every centre.
“For those with limited support, it is imperative that they can access this free, central, resource with reliable information written by experts to support the whole family’s mental health and psychological well-being.
“The Tom’s Trust Resource Hub covers a range of topics including cognitive assessments, supporting siblings and bereavement support. I am really looking forward to seeing it grow and develop, to better meet the needs of all our families and the professionals who also support them.”
The resource hub is being continuously updated. If you have anything you’d like to see added, please email info@tomstrust.org.uk