WHEN Lynne Hamnett heard that her son Craig, 11, would be visiting Derian House for respite care four years ago, she couldn't help feeling relieved.

Although a doting mother, Lynne has been full-time carer to Craig, now 15, since he was a baby. He has cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy and needs round-the-clock care.

The exhausting job means she rarely gets a full night's sleep, as Craig often has fits during the night. His time at the hospice is when she gets to recharge her batteries and get some sleep.

"I think I couldn't wait for him to come here, to be honest," she said. "Some of my friends' children had died on a hospital ward with no support at all and I didn't want that to happen. Here, I have so much support and so I was looking forward to him coming.

"The first time I walked in here, it absolutely broke my heart. It was beautiful and peaceful and I wanted my son to come here.

"Don't get me wrong, I love him to bits, but sometimes you just need a bit of chilling out and be able to do things that other people take for granted."

Lynne's case is not necessarily typical, as each one of the 300 families registered with the hospice at the moment, has individual needs. Children have a range of problems, with some visiting over the space of years, like Craig, while others will come for a short time.

The support for families is vital, with staff from the care team at the end of a phone, even through the night, to discuss any worries. There are bereavement counsellors, who help parents, siblings and grandparents cope with their loss.

There is also a families support group.

Craig's condition is, like many, severe, and Lynne knows her time with him could be over at any time.

When Craig comes to the hospice, he is able to go in the hydrotherapy pool, ball pool, have lots of massages, visit the music room, where he loves being sung to goes out on trips.

Lynne, who also has a 12-year-old son, Christopher, said: "I don't honestly know how I'd cope without the hospice. Every time Craig comes home, he is so relaxed. I feel so confident about leaving him here and I feel happier, and safer when I am here, too, somehow. I can't really explain it"

She has joined the parents' support group, which she visits every eight weeks and says it is an essential lifeline to meet others in a similar situation.

"I find it really does help me. We all support one another, and all the staff are like friends."

In contrast, eight-year-old Megan Owen's visits to the hospice leave mother Karen going home to a child-free home and almost wondering what to do with herself.

That is because Megan takes her sister Emma, 12, with her. And she enjoys it so much she classes her time there as a holiday, and the pair share a room and go out on trips together.

Megan, who has a neuro-muscular disease has been visiting the hospice for four months.

Karen, 37, said: "There is such a lot of fun and happiness really. It feels like a home from home."

For her first stay, the family, including dad Simon, stayed in one of the hospice's four family apartments.

Megan said: "I really like it here. The best thing is going on the water bed and being in the messy room."

The family home has been adapted for Megan's needs, including a bathroom downstairs, but her bedroom is still upstairs, so Karen finds herself carrying Megan a lot.

"Her time at the hospice means she can take a break from some of her heavier duties.

She said: "I get home and I just sit there and think "what do I do now?"

"It is good to have time together, though, and maybe we'll go out, or sometimes go for a meal. It is nice.

"But Megan loves it here. She says she's going on her summer holidays when she comes here."