Supporting children when a parent has a life-threatening illness: the role of the community practitioner

The last two decades have seen an academic and practice based shift in the acknowledgment that children require support following the death of a significant person. However, the needs of children who are living amidst parental life threatening illness are not, as yet, so clearly recognised or acknowledged. These children are often forgotten and their needs are frequently peripheral, if not absent, within the clinical setting. The current study adopted qualitative methodology to explore children's experiences when living with a parent who is dying. A total of 36 people were interviewed, including children, their parents and professionals. The findings highlighted the importance of age appropriate information sharing with the children and the significant role professionals have in facilitating conversations either directly or through supporting the parents to hold these 'difficult' discussions. This paper offers an overview of the vital role community practitioners have in supporting the children of patients. It argues that they often have a more in-depth knowledge of the family and its functioning and that consequently they can add a different dimension to the care provided.