Visiting guidelines

Visiting times

Visiting times vary by ward and hospital. Please check the ward page.

During quiet periods, visiting is restricted for patient rest, mealtimes and the cleaning of rooms.

Visits outside of the usual visiting times may only take place under special circumstances. To arrange this, you’ll need to get approval from the clinical nurse manager in charge.

Page contents

On this page you will find information about:

Visiting times
Visitors
Dos and Don'ts
Infection control

Visitors

We encourage parents and guardians to spend as much time as possible with their child while they are in hospital.

When your child is admitted you’ll be issued with two parent or guardian visitor cards, and you’ll need to show these each time you enter the hospital.

Overnight stays

If your child is staying overnight, you may choose to stay with them in their room, or in our on-site parent accommodation. Only one parent can be accommodated to stay overnight with their child in hospital. Special circumstances may need to be considered on an individual basis, for example when a child is receiving end of life care, or if there are special social circumstances.

Parent accommodation

For children who are not staying overnight, only one parent or guardian is allowed to attend the hospital with their child. Siblings, other family and friends are not able to visit, and there is a strict visitor card system in place. Exceptions may be made in special circumstances.

Relatives and friends

Close family and friends may visit for short periods of time while children are in hospital. Visiting times will need to be agreed in advance with the clinical nurse manager in charge of the ward.

Children under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult at all times, and are limited to two children at a time.

Carers

If your child lives in residential care or has special needs, carers and teachers may play a big part in their day to day care. The clinical nurse manager will agree an individual visiting timetable with you to make sure your child’s needs are being fully met.

Dos and Don'ts

When visiting the hospital:

follow infection control guidelines
please wear suitable footwear such as shoes, runners, boots, or any other type of footwear that covers your entire foot
be aware of our child protection guidelines
be responsible for the security of their personal belongings
keep children visitors under control
consider other patient’s needs for rest and privacy
help keep the hospital clean
follow any requests by hospital staff to leave a patient’s room
respect other patient’s confidentiality
keep hot drinks in a suitable container with a lid

open-toe shoes, such as sandals, flip-flops, and slippers, are not appropriate for hospital visitors
smoke anywhere on the hospital grounds
visit under the influence of alcohol or drugs
access unauthorised areas
visit isolation rooms without permission from the clinical nurse manager
bring plants or flowers into patient rooms sit or lie on patient’s beds
use recording devices such as cameras, or mobile phone cameras without permission from the clinical nurse manager
bring pets onto the site, unless they are guide dogs or staying with Cian’s Kennels
bring hot drinks into clinical rooms, use the parent room on the ward if you wish to have a hot drink

Infection control

Infection Protection Control is a fundamental part of Children's Health Ireland’s quality system to achieve and maintain the highest standards of care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of patients, staff and visitors.

These principles play an important role in the prevention and control of infection. Some of the principles are outlined below:

Hand hygiene
Respiratory etiquette
Patient isolation/protection requirements
Environmental cleaning and decontamination
Waste management

Infection prevention & control is everyone’s responsibility.

Hand Hygiene

Please ask your visitors to wash their hands or use the alcohol gel, available at all ward entrances, to disinfect their hands each time they enter or leave the ward.
Do this yourself also if you go into any other ward.
Ask a member of staff to show you if you are unsure how to use it.
Feel free to ask any staff with whom you come into contact if they have cleaned their hands.

All visitors must wash their hands, or use the alcohol gel provided, each time they enter or leave the ward.

To protect our patients from the risk of infection, please do not visit the hospital if you are unwell or have been in contact with someone who may be infectious. This includes illnesses like measles, vomiting, diarrhoea, sore throat, flu or Covid-19.

If you have any symptoms of Covid-19, have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, or are awaiting a swab result you must not attend the hospital.

Learn more about HSE's Covid-19 policy by clicking the button below.

HSE Covid-19 policy