MORE needs to be done to support life-limited children missing out on vital care and support, a report by Acorns Children's Hospice has found.

Chief executive David Strudley says it is “heartbreaking” that life limited and life threatened children are not accessing the care they need.

Acorns Children’s Hospice has today (September 1) launched its annual Impact Report.

Acorns operates children’s hospices in Birmingham, the Black Country and Worcester for the Three Counties and provides care in families’ homes.

The charity aims to care for 1,000 children by the end of the decade.

But Mr Strudley says that number is half the potential number of children living in the region that need help and that demand is increasing.

In the 2015-16 financial year the charity provided care to 830 children, a five per cent increase on the previous year.

Mr Strudley said: “We know there are children and families missing out on our care and support and it’s heartbreaking that others aren’t able to access our services.”

The title of the report Are we making a difference? takes the bold step of challenging the impact the charity has.

Using what it terms the "Acorns ripple effect", the report seeks to comprehensively demonstrate the difference the charity makes to the child, the family, friends, the local community and wider society.

It also for the first time includes testimonials from healthcare professionals highlighting the true value the organisation brings to health and social care in the region.

Mr Strudley, who steps down as chief executive this month after ten years, said he hoped the report highlighted the impact of the charity.

“When I walk around any of our three hospices, visit our shops, speak to health and social care professionals or meet people in the community, it is clear we’re making a difference.

“There is no doubt the impact of our work is evident on many levels, from the child right up to the wider society in which we operate.

“We know there will always be a need for Acorns, but we need to do more. In this report, we’ve asked ourselves if we’re making a difference, now the public need to ask, what difference can they make.”

It costs nearly £10million for Acorns to operate its three hospices and the majority of these costs are met through public fundraising.

To read the impact report online, please visit www.acorns.org.uk/impactreport