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Parents' Roles and Strategies for Caring for a Child With Cancer During Hospitalisation at Home: A Qualitative Study

Voskan Kirakosyan1, Matthieu Plichart2, Caroline Miler2

  • 1Paris Nanterre University, Nanterre Cedex, France.

Journal of Family Nursing
|June 19, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Parents caring for children with cancer at home (HaH) adapt to new roles, sharing care with healthcare teams. This demanding experience requires constant adjustments and support for parental well-being.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Family Caregiving
  • Childhood Cancer Support

Background:

  • Hospitalisation at home (HaH) is a growing model in paediatric oncology.
  • Limited understanding exists on how parents redefine roles and strategies in this setting.
  • Paediatric cancer significantly impacts family dynamics and parenting.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe how parents of children with cancer redefine parenting within the HaH model.
  • To identify the specific roles and strategies parents adopt at home.
  • To explore the lived experiences of parents managing childhood cancer care at home.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative study utilizing semi-structured individual interviews.
  • Data collected through recorded and transcribed interviews.
  • Analysis performed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

Main Results:

  • Twenty-seven parents (18 mothers, 9 fathers) were interviewed.
  • Four key themes emerged: adapting to care dynamics, shared parenting with healthcare teams, assuming multiple parental roles (e.g., caregiver, mediator, coordinator), and developing specific parenting strategies (e.g., mutual support, anticipation, distancing).

Conclusions:

  • Hospitalisation at home transforms parenting into a demanding, adaptive process for childhood cancer.
  • Parenting in HaH involves creativity, adaptability, and navigating vulnerability.
  • There is a critical need for recognition and support for parents managing paediatric cancer at home.
Abstract

Keywords:
child with cancerhospitalisation at homeparental rolesparentingparenting strategies

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