Free parking spaces, including accessible parking, are available next to the building, in front of the Farm Boy Play Park. A daily parking pass is required, which can be obtained from the reception volunteer. It must be visibly displayed on the dashboard. Should no parking space be available, the reception volunteer can provide alternatives. This may include using the CHEO visitor parking, where standard parking rates apply.

Getting Around Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice

Main Floor

You’ll check in with our reception volunteer and get a blue visitor sticker to access shared spaces like the kitchen, dining room, living room, playroom, library, and Snoezelen Room.

Second Floor

Headed upstairs? You’ll get a green sticker after signing in. This floor includes guest rooms, family suites, nursing and medication areas, the tub room, and laundry.

Basement

Visiting the basement? You’ll be signed in and given a blue sticker. Down here, you’ll find offices, the Teen Lounge (games, movies, foosball, table hockey), the Music Space (help yourself to a piano or guitar), and the Training Room for meetings and groups.

Kids under 14 must be with an adult (parent, staff, or volunteer) when using basement spaces.

Accessibility at Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice

We’re committed to ensuring every child and family feels welcomed, respected and supported regardless of ability.

How we help:  

We do our best to understand and accommodate the unique needs of every child and family. If you need assistance, just let us know.

Communication:  

We adjust how we communicate to match individual needs, whatever helps most.

Service animals: 

Service animals are welcome in all public areas. We also do our best to be mindful of anyone with allergies.

Support persons:  

Support persons are always welcome. The only charge may be for meals, and even then, just the basics.

Disruptions: 

If there’s ever a service disruption that affects accessibility, we’ll let you know immediately, with details and alternatives, via posted notices, our website, and direct updates to affected families.

Staff training:  

All staff and volunteers receive training in accessibility, including how to assist with equipment and respond if someone needs extra help.

Feedback: 

We’re always open to feedback. You can talk to any staff member or, 

• Call us – 613-523-6300 ext 1 
• Email us – [email protected] 

We’ll respond within a week.

To keep our environment as safe and healthy as possible for children, families, and staff, Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice and all surrounding hospital grounds are completely smoke-free. This includes the use of vaping devices and e-cigarettes

Telephones are available in all shared common areas at Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice so that you can stay in touch with loved ones near and far. To make a local call, dial 9 to get an outside line. For long-distance calls, you can use a calling card or place a collect call. CHEO is located at 613-737-7600 ext. 0.

If you believe something was left behind during your stay at Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice, please don’t hesitate to call the nursing station at extension 4652. Our team will be happy to check and help arrange a time for pickup.

• Guest Rooms: There are four single rooms and two double rooms, each thoughtfully equipped with a private bathroom and wheelchair-accessible shower, as well as a TV and DVD player for movie nights or quiet downtime.
• Family Suites: Two specially designed family suites are available for families who wish to stay close as their child nears the end of life. These welcoming spaces include a guest bed and a king-sized bed,  table and chairs, couches, a microwave, a compact fridge and a TV and DVD player for shared moments.
• Families are welcome to use the laundry room and tub room when available. A nearby nursing station ensures care is always available, and a secure medication room helps keep everything safe and organized.
• Fresh towels and linens are always provided, and if you’ve forgotten something, we offer emergency toiletry kits to help you feel at home.

If a child develops an infection at Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice, staff will promptly contact the family to discuss an alternate care plan. Those with infection symptoms may need to be discharged to protect all children. Contact information for a capable alternate caregiver is necessary if a caregiver is unavailable during admission. Anyone recently exposed to or exhibiting symptoms of an infectious illness (like measles, cough, or fever) is asked to postpone their visit until they are well again.

If you have additional questions, please contact our team at [email protected]

Your safety is our top priority. In the event of an emergency:

• Emergency Alarms: Familiarize yourself with the sound of our emergency alarms and evacuation routes, which are posted throughout the facility.
• Evacuation Plan: Staff will guide families to designated safe areas if necessary.
• First Aid: Trained staff are available 24/7 to respond to medical emergencies.

For more information, ask our team during your visit or consult the emergency guide available at reception.

At Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice, we are committed to upholding the dignity of every child and the integrity of every family. Guided by the values of the Children and Family Services Act of Ontario (1990), we centre our care around what matters most: the well-being, identity, and unique needs of each child we serve. In everything we do, we strive to:

• Respect the physical, emotional, spiritual, cultural, mental, and developmental needs of each child.
• Offer services that reflect and honour the diverse values, traditions, and customs of the children and families in our care.
• Provide care in a way that is sensitive to cultural, religious, and regional differences, ensuring families feel seen, heard, and supported.

Your Privacy Matters

At Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice, we treat your personal information carefully and respectfully. We assume you’re okay with us sharing details with those directly involved in your child’s care, but we’ll always ask if it’s for anything else. You can change your mind anytime by getting in touch.

We only share personal info with people who need it to help care for your child, or when the law says we must. That includes:

• You or your child’s decision-maker
  
• Your child’s care team
  
• Health agencies, like the Ministry of Health
  
• Anyone else, but only with your permission
  

We don’t share without consent. Full stop.

We collect information to give your child the best care and improve our work. Your privacy is protected by law, and we have safeguards like secure systems and transparent policies.

We may also use your info to:

• Care for your child
  
• Make our services better.
  
• Train future health professionals.
  
• Conduct research – with your consent.
  
• Ask for your feedback to help us improve.
  

If you ever feel your privacy wasn’t respected, contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at [email protected]

We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for everyone.

● How to Report a Concern: Families can share concerns directly with our staff or through our confidential reporting system.

● Response Process: All concerns are taken seriously and will be addressed promptly by our leadership team.

If you have a concern to report, please don’t hesitate to contact the Director of Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice at 613-523-6300 ex. 4603.

The Ontario Ombudsman is an independent and impartial resource for individuals concerned about public services in Ontario, including those related to healthcare and government-funded programs. The Ombudsman’s role is to promote fairness, accountability, and transparency by reviewing complaints and looking into broader systemic issues. Their office listens to concerns, investigates when needed, and works to find quick, respectful resolutions whenever possible. To learn more or to submit a concern, you can visit the Ontario Ombudsman’s website.