Sebastian's Action Trust

Who we are

Inspired by Sebastian, a brave young boy who tragically lost his battle with cancer at just nine years old, our mission began with his vision: a special place for families navigating immense challenges.

Since our founding in 2004, we’ve grown from a single centre offering short restorative breaks to a vibrant charity delivering:

• A curated calendar of accessible activities
• Professional counselling services
• Opportunities to connect with others who share similar experiences

Through these efforts, we aim to reduce loneliness and social isolation, providing comfort, connection, and support for families when they need it most.

Our culture and values

At our core we’re here to support families navigating the unimaginable – the reality of caring for a child who may die prematurely. Our care extends to the entire family, including the child, their siblings, parents, and grandparents. 

According to the 2020 Make Every Child Count study by the University of York, the number of seriously-ill children rose dramatically from 32,975 in 2002 to 86,625 in 2018. This growing trend shows no signs of slowing down, underscoring the need for increased support to help families navigate the many challenges they face. As demand continues to rise and statutory services decline, many families tell us they feel lonely and isolated, with their child’s condition often excluding them from the mainstream support typically available to others.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

We are committed to equality of opportunity and to providing a service and following practices that are free from unfair and unlawful discrimination. Our aim is to ensure that no applicant or member of staff receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be relevant to performance. It seeks also to ensure that no person is victimised or subjected to any form of bullying or harassment.