​Coral Tree is on the grounds of Macquarie Hospital in North Ryde, in Greater Sydney, though is quite separate and has its own grounds, facilities, and co-located Arndell School. The actual address is 70a Badajoz Road, North Ryde NSW 2113.

​Coral Tree is part of NSW Health, and is therefore completely free for all families, accessing any of the programs offered.

​Coral Tree is an entirely voluntary service, which parents/carers choose to access to support their family. The service is also not a locked ward/unit (though we do have precautions in place to help the site feel safe for families to stay at) – you are free to come and go as you please.

​For our Family Residential Program, families can reside anywhere in New South Wales. With other programs, such as the Clinical School Program, families would need to live within a reasonable distance from the service so that the child can travel to and from school.

​As the only service of its kind in Australia, Coral Tree can have typically have a waitlist of six to eight months for a Family Residential Stay. This time frame can vary, based on a number of factors, including how available a family can be at short-notice – if there is a cancellation that occurs suddenly, the team will contact families who have expressed a capacity to attend with minimal notice, and see if they can attend on that date.

​Unfortunately Coral Tree can only house humans – we do have several local lizards that have taken up residence in and around the site

​Yes, if your child can bring something to make the stay more comfortable, we would encourage them to do so. We have weighted blankets on site and due to infection control, are not able to have families bring their own. You are more than welcome to borrow one! 

​Yes, we have a range of board games, books, DvDs, ping pong (table tennis), foosball (table soccer), Nintendo WiiU (with games including Just Dance!), Play Station 4, bikes and scooters. We also have a heated outdoor pool and an art room! You are more than welcome to bring any special games/toys with you.

​Of course – whilst we supply food and there is a dinner menu to select from, families often choose to bring their own snacks or pre-prepared meals. You can store them in the mini-fridge in your flat, or else in one of the communal fridges/freezers in the kitchen (just remember to label your food!)

​There are limited cooking facilities at Coral Tree – we have microwaves, a sandwich press, a kettle and a coffee machine. There is no available oven or stove for families to use.

​We have a washing machine and dryer at Coral Tree.

​Yes, whilst it is a busy week at Coral Tree, “free time” is time-tabled and families can go off-site and either wander around the grounds or head to the local shops/shopping centres

​All school-aged children that attend Coral Tree will need to be enrolled in the Coral Reef classroom, staffed by teachers from Arndell School. Children will spend Tuesday-Thursday at school, however, the curriculum is very different to your average school. Days at Coral Reef are filled with sport, art, craft and cooking. It is a fun and supportive atmosphere. If older children are wanting/needing to complete school work, they are welcome to do this during the day. All children will be marked as attending for the week at their regular school.

​If your child is under the age of 5, they will be minded by Coral Tree staff during parent sessions and groups.

​This is a possibility during the week, however, not a certainty. We would encourage you to raise requests for visitors with your Care Coordinator, before your stay, so that it can be discussed further.​

​The week at Coral Tree requires parents/carers to attend all scheduled activities. During these times, we encourage parents/carers to be actively engaged, to get the most out of the program. There is scheduled free time where work could be completed, however, the children are in your care during these hours.

​​Yes, please bring all essential medication for all family members. There is a lockable cabinet in all flats, for storage of medication (and other valuables), and parents/carers remain responsible for administering their children’s medication.

​There is free parking on hospital grounds, at all times. Staff working with your family will direct you to the most appropriate car-park.​

​There are usually two families in residence each week, though sometimes we do only have one and can have three. ​