Holistic Care and Support for Sick and Vulnerable Children

Children experience illness, hospitalisation, and loss differently to adults — and caring for them well takes specific knowledge and skill. This online certificate course, developed by HospiVision in partnership with the Centre for Contextual Ministry at the University of Pretoria, equips chaplains, hospital volunteers, and community health workers to support sick and vulnerable children with confidence and compassion.

Drawing on developmental theory (Piaget, Erikson, Kohlberg, Fowler, Bowlby), the course explores how children at different ages understand illness, pain, and death, and how spirituality develops through childhood. You'll learn how to build trust with a hospitalised child, address physical, emotional and spiritual needs, support children with disabilities, and respond to the fears of a dying child. The course also covers the impact of illness on the family, family-centred care, and the legal framework protecting children in South African healthcare, including the Children's Act and the National Child Protection Register.

What you'll learn:

• Insight into children's developmental needs and how these shape their experience of illness
• The impact of illness, hospitalisation and healthcare encounters on the child
• How to reflect critically on children's spiritual experience of pain and suffering
• The impact of illness and hospitalisation on the family
• Practical goals for the holistic care of sick and vulnerable children
• A better understanding of the world of children with disabilities
• How to recognise and address the fears of a dying child
• Children's rights in healthcare and the application of the Children's Act

How the course works:
Delivered online via Google Classroom, the course is completed at your own pace and includes video lectures, a full course manual, and three section quizzes (10 multiple-choice questions each, 75% pass mark). All participants who complete the course receive a HospiVision certificate of attendance. Those who also complete an optional 300-word reflective essay (50% pass mark) receive an additional certificate from the University of Pretoria.

Online Delivery

This is a fully online short course delivered via Google Classroom. Study from the comfort of your home. Once enrolled, you'll receive a link via email (or find it in your Student Portal on our website) to join the classroom.

Course Structure

Watch each video module. Complete the reflection exercises. Pass the quizzes to progress through the course. If you selected the UP certificate option, submit a final essay.

Course Options

Option 1- R1,100: Includes the HospiVision Certificate of Attendance.

Option 2- R2,100: Includes the HospiVision Certificate AND the University of Pretoria (UP) Certificate of Attendance.

Important Certification Details

To receive the UP certificate, you must successfully complete the required essay. UP certificates are released annually- the cutoff date for the current cycle is October 2026, and certificates for this cycle will be released by March 2027.

Financial Support

Partial funding is available. Please note that the Diaconia bursary covers the R1,100 course fee, and the John Templeton Foundation covers R1000 (HospiVision Certificate). They do not cover the additional cost for the UP certificate and the John Templeton Foundation Scholarship has a R100 registration fee.

⚠ Please note: if you are accepted for a bursary or scholarship, you must complete your selected course on Google Classroom within 6 weeks. If not, your place will be forfeited, as we have a limited number of bursaries and scholarships available.

Diaconia Bursary- You qualify if you are a member of the Dutch Reformed Church, Calvin Protestant Church, or United Reformed Church.

John Templeton Foundation Scholarship- If you are not a member of the above churches, you may apply for this scholarship.

To apply, select the relevant bursary/scholarship option from the "Payment Method" dropdown at the top of this page and complete the application form via our website.

Enrollment Process

All online short courses must be purchased directly through our website.

EFT (Bank Transfer): Select "EFT" at checkout- your course access will be activated once funds have cleared.

Refund Policy

Unfortunately, we cannot offer refunds for courses not attended, but we can provide a credit note valid for 12 months. You may use it for any of our short courses or transfer it to someone else.

If applying for a bursary, your enrollment will be pending approval of your application.