ABOUT RMHC ACT & SOUTH EAST NSW
Our ACT & SE NSW Chapter was established in 2012 as part of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, where our House is located.Ronald McDonald House Canberra, our Canberra Family Room and our Bateman’s Bay Family Retreat provide families throughout the ACT and South East NSW region with warm and welcoming places to stay, get support or relax and recharge, while going through the difficult journey of childhood illness.
OUR MISSION AND VISION
We provide holistic support to families throughout their child's journey in the hospital. We also support families in between and after hospital stays.Our Programs in the ACT & SE NSW Chapter are run by a tirelessly hard working team of staff and volunteers, lead by our Executive Officer, and aided by the generous support of our donors, sponsors and corporate partners. For every $1 invested, $3.60 of social and economic value is created by RMHC.
Our mission is to provide a nurturing environment supporting the ever-changing needs of seriously ill children and their families. Our vision is to deliver hope, love and laughter with excellence and compassion. Our values are Respect, Excellence, Integrity, and Compassion.
OUR PROGRAMS
Our Chapter runs a range of support Programs across ACT and South East NSW including our House, Family Room and Family Retreat.
Canberra House
Our House provides a homely and inviting place to stay for parents, guardians, carers and their siblings while their child is undergoing treatment in the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children.
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Staying at the House
Our warm and supportive home-away-from-home provides the whole family with a comfortable place to stay and peace of mind, knowing they can stay together in the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children.
We have 1 kitchen, 10 bedrooms, and shared spaces to eat, relax, watch TV, play games and more.
Being forced to move the family far from home, work, school and the entire support network due to a child’s illness is extraordinarily tough.
Our House has a wonderful community spirit, where families are able to connect with other families going through experiences similar to their own. Our communal facilities also provide families with the independence to be able to cater for themselves and keep up with day-to-day living as much as possible.
Eligibility to stay with us
We offer free accommodation for any family that lives at least a 100kms away from Canberra, and has to travel to stay close to their child undergoing treatment at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children. Our House also supports mothers going through high risk pregnancies.
We try to accommodate the needs of families where we can, but this is always subject to availability. Priority is given to families whose children have been recently diagnosed, seriously injured or who require emergency treatment, as well as families of premature babies.
Make an Enquiry
To stay in the House, request a referral from a social worker or medical authority.
Alternatively, you can complete the online form.
Contact the Ronald McDonald House Canberra on:
Phone: (02) 6281 5894
Email: reception.canberra@rmhc.org.au
Address: Level 2, Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, Garran ACT 2605
Referral
Staying at the Ronald McDonald House will require a referral from a social worker, the hospital itself, or another authority. You may also be able to apply for yourself, provided you have the sufficient documentation to demonstrate your need for staying at the House.
While our policy is to provide free accommodation, your stay at the House may require you to claim financial support towards accommodation and travel from the relevant government transport assistance scheme in your home state (such as IPTAAS for NSW). Our friendly team are happy to work with you to apply for the relevant financial support.
To find out if you’re eligible for government financial assistance, contact your hospital social worker or talk to one of our team.
Canberra Family Room
Our Family Room offers a welcome space to relax for families with children undergoing treatment in a nearby ward. Families can take time out from the clinical environment and recharge in a quiet space.
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The Ronald McDonald Family Room in the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children (Canberra) provides a haven for families who are visiting or staying with a child or infant in hospital.
The Family Room enables families/carers to step away from the ward and into a non-clinical space to rest and recharge. They can take a break with free beverages and refreshments, a TV, lounge, a quiet space for reading/relaxing and a bathroom with a shower for freshening up. We also offer convenient on-site laundry facilities, as well as a library of children’s games and activities.
It is a space where families/carers of children undergoing treatment can spend time together and unwind during an otherwise difficult period.
The Room is run by a dedicated team of volunteers, and is free and open to all families whose children are undergoing inpatient or outpatient treatment at The Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, including families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care and Special Care Nursery units.
Come and Visit Us
The Ronald McDonald House Charities ACT & SE NSW Family Room is located in:
The Centenary Hospital for Women and Children Paediatric Ward on Level 1
E: familyroom.canberra@rmhc.org.au
Opening Hours
Varied depending on volunteer availability. Please ring the House if you'd like to find out the latest hours.
Batemans Bay Retreat
Our Family Retreat provides a peaceful getaway from the everyday, at no cost and for up to a week. The holiday is a welcome escape for those who might otherwise be unable to afford any time out due the pressures of caring for a seriously ill child.
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Staying at the Retreat
Located in the beautiful seaside town of Batemans Bay, 160km south east of Canberra, our Retreat provides a perfect getaway for families with seriously ill children.
This Retreat is made possible thanks to the local Batemans Bay community, and the passion and commitment of Ronald McDonald House Charities ACT & South East NSW staff and volunteers. We offer up to a week's stay at the Retreat free of cost to families.
Retreat Facilities
Our Family Retreat consists of two spacious and comfortable three-bedroom units, perfect for families looking for a bit of respite and quality time together.
The two seaside units are private and fully self-contained, with all the comforts and amenities you’d expect, including an outdoor dining and a barbecue area for enjoying a home-cooked meal beneath the stars. Both units have limited disabled access and share a communal games room, complete with a foosball table and plenty of games for the whole family.
Our two units are metres from a short bushwalking track leading down to the sea and a viewing platform with 180 degree views of the Pacific Ocean. Simply relax and enjoy the serene bushland surroundings of the Retreat itself, or take a day trip to one of Batemans Bay’s beautiful beaches, visit Mogo Zoo or enjoy a cruise along the Clyde River.
Make an Enquiry
Apply to stay at a Family Retreat
To apply, simply fill in the application form. We’ll then be in touch to confirm your stay.
Get in touch with the RMHC ACT & SE NSW team:
Phone: (02) 6281 5894
Other Programs
In addition to our three core programs, we support seriously ill children and their families through our "Wrapped in Love" initiative, as well as through a Learning Program and a Scholarship offering.
Wrapped in Love
Wrapped in Love involves our volunteers going around the Wards in the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, and giving out free goodies to children and their carers in the hospital, such as toys, games, books, dry snacks and more.
This is a way for us to spread smiles and do our bit to brighten up the day for families with ill or injured children in the hospital, whether they are there for one day or ten.
Our Wrapped in Love trolley carries a mix of board games, card games, reading books, activity books, toys, dolls, legos, play-doh, hand-knitted baby blankets and much more to provide comfort, practical support and/or a boredom-buster to children (and their carers) in the hospital wards.
Our incredible volunteers are to thank for offering their time to stock the Wrapped in Love trolleys, deliver the goods, and consistently check-in with sick children and their families, to ensure they have everything they need.
And a massive shoutout to families and supporters who donate us brand new items to add to the Wrapped in Love trolleys regularly!
Please contact us if you'd like to make an in-kind donation for our Wrapped in Love trolleys.
Learning Program and Scholarship
The Ronald McDonald Learning Program assists school-aged children with serious illnesses and injuries to catch up on missed education following treatment and recovery. Providing a suite of free educational support services, including therapy sessions and one-on-one tutorials with experienced teachers, the program aims to build each child’s confidence and self-esteem in preparation for their return to the classroom.
Find out more about the Program here.
The Charlie Bell Scholarship awards one-off grants of up to $5,000 to deserving young people to get their schooling or career back on track afer a serious illnees or injury. So whether the money goes towards university fees, apprenticeship tools, books or supplies, RMHC is there to help them succeed.
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Help us keep our Programs running
Your support will ensure that we can continue to provide vital Programs to families with seriously ill or injured children, and deliver on our mission across the ACT & South East NSW regions. #KeepingFamiliesClose
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Connect with Us
Ronald McDonald House Charities ACT & South East NSW
PO Box 635, Mawson, ACT 2607, Australia
Phone: (02) 6281 5894
Email: events.canberra@rmhc.org.au
