Children at donation venues

Updated 7 November 2023

We value the commitment and dedication of all our donors. So, to make sure everyone is safe and comfortable, we have some rules about children at our donation venues.

Bringing a child to your appointment

• You can only bring a child with you to your appointment if they are accompanied by another adult who is not donating.
• If both adults want to donate, you will need to book your appointments at least an hour apart. This is to make sure the child is not left alone and the first donor has recovered before the second donor starts their health screening.

These rules are based on the advice of other UK blood collection services and the NSPCC. They are similar to those followed in Wales, where there is a 45-minute gap between appointments.

How we will support you

We value all our life saving donors and understand that these changes might affect when you are able to donate. We appreciate your flexibility and are committed to providing support to enable you to continue to donate.

If you have no one to support your child at one of our venues, we can help you make an appointment for when you have childcare arrangements.

Appointments are available at a range of dates and times and at many of our venues. Please call us on 0300 123 23 23 and one of the team happily support you.

If you do need to reschedule your appointment, you can do this in your online account.