About us

About Sheffield Children’s

Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is a national leader in child health combining acute, mental health and community services with leading-edge paediatric specialisms. In 2026, Sheffield Children’s marks a momentous milestone: 150 years since our hospital was founded in the heart of the city.  

Sheffield Children’s was born on 15 November 1876 from the determination of the people of Sheffield to create a hospital dedicated to children. It was described as an ‘infirmary for children’ and founded by architect Mr J.D. Webster, doctor Mr William J. Cleaver and solicitor Mr Henry Vickers. From that day to this, our purpose has remained the same: to create a healthier future for children and young people. 

Our whole-child approach means we support children not just in a moment of need, but throughout their entire health and care journey, be that in hospital, school or at home, with kindness, expertise, and unwavering commitment. Through innovation, equity and ambition, we’re creating healthier futures for every child, everywhere. 

In 2025, we were shortlisted for the HSJ Provider of the Year. We’ve been rated CQC ‘good’ and have achieved top-performing Emergency Department (ED) access for families year on year. 

Caring for patients across the UK 

In its first year, Sheffield Children’s Hospital hospital had 29 inpatient admissions – some way short of the 395,000 appointments we saw in 2024/25 across our sites in Sheffield, and beyond in the community, the 62,000 children visiting our Emergency Department, and the provision of mental health care in over 28,000 community appointments.  

Sheffield Children’s is known for the expertise of the people who work here and the pride they feel at being part of the Sheffield Children’s family. Together, we provide high-quality integrated care for children and young people and their families, including: 

• Hospital care at our specialist children’s hospital and in outreach clinics – for example our haematology and oncology services. 
• Community services from health visiting and school immunisation to support for children with complex needs to innovative sensory therapy services empowering autistic young people.  
• Mental health and learning disability services including specialist inpatient care, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).  
• Regional and national services from orthopaedics to our regional Embrace transport services for critically ill children to our specialist provision for young people with learning disabilities and or autism. 
• Research and innovation, working with partners in universities, industry and the NHS to develop new treatments and technologies. 
• All-age provision through hosting services such as genomics, working with partners to develop the future of predictive medicine together. 

Children, young people and their families have praised Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust for the care they received, according to the latest national Children and Young People’s Patient Experience Survey. 

We believe every child deserves the same opportunity to be well regardless of postcode, background or diagnosis. 
 

Working for Sheffield Children’s 

Sheffield Children’s is more than a place to work, it’s a place to belong, grow and make a difference. Situated in a city known for innovation, inclusivity and community spirit, and uniquely positioned in the urban environment at the foot of rural surroundings, we offer the chance to be part of a pioneering team with a big northern heart, and even bigger ambitions.  

We have around 4,000 people working at Sheffield Children’s – including nurses, students, doctors, dentists, allied health professionals, scientists, therapists, clinicians, researchers, housekeepers, maintenance, administrative and clerical colleagues and more.  

We’re incredibly proud that in the 2024 NHS Staff Survey 73% of colleagues at Sheffield Children’s would recommend the Trust as a place to work. This places us in the top five NHS trusts in England and makes us the highest-ranked Trust in the North East and Yorkshire.

Read Why I work at Sheffield Children’s  

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Caring Together 2030 strategy  

Caring Together 2030 describes our strategy for 2026 to 2030. 

You can read all about it: Caring Together – our strategy toward 2030 

Publications

We regularly publish a range of documents including our Annual Report, Green Plan, corporate documents, monthly board papers and strategic plans. 

Visit Publications.