Because an ill or injured child needs their family close
When a child is sick, families need each other more than ever. Our Ronald McDonald House offers a sanctuary for regional and remote families facing medical challenges in Adelaide.
Located just 198 meters from the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, our House provides a warm and supportive home-like environment.
Leaving behind everything familiar to care for a sick or injured child is overwhelming. At our House, families discover a supportive community where shared experiences create a strong bond, and trained staff are available for support and connection.
Keeping the family together can be extremely tough without support, which is why we offer accommodation for families who need to travel for their child’s treatment, or women who have high-risk pregnancies and need to be close.
We try and 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, and families travelling long distances from their home.
If you need to travel to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital for your child’s care or treatment, accommodation can be arranged through the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, or for NT families, through NT PATS (Patient Assistance Travel Scheme).
If you have any questions about requesting accommodation or your eligibility, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Like families, our rooms are all different, ranging from fully self-contained two-bedroom apartments, larger rooms, standard queen rooms, and accessible rooms.
All rooms are fully furnished with own bathroom and air conditioning.
All linen is supplied and laundry facilities are available.
Families staying at the House have access to a few recreation spaces designed to support rest, play and connection. Inside the House, the play room offers children and carers a place to play and spend time together.
Across the road at 270 Melbourne Street, families can enjoy an outdoor playground as well as a tranquil peace garden; ideal spots for getting some fresh air after a day of appointments.
To enable families to focus on what’s most important, their sick or injured child, a cooked dinner is provided Monday to Friday served in our communal dining area at 6pm.
Families can also cater for themselves using our fully-equipped kitchen, breakfast provisions are provided including cereals, pancakes, toast, fruit, juices and yogurts, as well as a fully stocked fridge and pantry with food staples.
Carparking for one car per family is provided. The Hospital is walking distance from the House. Wheelchairs, prams and strollers are available to borrow.
Our House provides a transport service on Friday and some Sundays to transport families as required. This could be to a local shopping centre, an outing to the beach or a visit to the Adelaide Hills.
Our Families Team provide practical, emotional, and logistical support, ensuring families feel grounded and cared for while their child undergoes medical treatment, making them a vital part of the Ronald McDonald House mission to keep families close and supported during one of the most difficult periods of their lives. Our Family Support Program offers a range of services including:
Supported Families Program – a free service delivered in partnership with Adelaide University providing therapeutic psychological support to families in areas such as:
They also provide psychological assessments that look at a child or young person’s:
Financial Counselling – delivered in partnership with Lutheran Care, financial counselling is a free, confidential, independent service designed to support people who are experiencing financial hardship or struggling with debt. It is delivered by qualified financial counsellors who typically help with:
Centrelink Indigenous Services – delivered in partnership with Services Australia, Indigenous Service Officers provide families with support to access a wide range of social security payments and support services.
Hospital School SA – we work closely with the Hospital School located in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital to connect children and their siblings into school, with teachers coming each school day at 9:30am to collect them on the ‘Walking School Bus’ and dropping them off again at 3:30pm. This helps children keep connected to their learning, offers respite for parents and carers and allows siblings to maintain a sense of normalcy.
Playgroup – For the under five’s Playgroup is offered at the House each Wednesday morning at 10.30am.
Visiting Ngangkari – Ngangkari are highly respected traditional healers from the Western Desert (Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara lands) of Central Australia, providing holistic physical, emotional, and spiritual healing for over 60,000 years. They use techniques like hands-on energy work, bush medicine, and smoking ceremonies to treat ailments, with many now collaborating with Western healthcare systems in hospitals.
Fees
Our accommodation is provided free of charge.
However, if eligible, your stay at Ronald McDonald House will require you to complete the relevant Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) paperwork. Our friendly team are happy to work with you to complete this paperwork during your stay.
