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

Abstract

Objective: Paediatric cancer impacts both children and their families, transforming relationships and parenting styles. Within this context, hospitalisation at home (HaH) is increasingly offered in paediatric oncology, transferring care to the home setting and reconfiguring parenting styles. However, the literature on how parents redefine their roles and strategies at home remains limited. The aim of this study is to describe how parents of children with cancer redefine parenting in HaH by identifying the roles and strategies they use.

Methods: A qualitative study using semi-structured individual interviews was conducted. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

Results: Twenty-seven parents were interviewed (18 mothers and 9 fathers). Analysis highlighted four themes: (a) adapting to a new care dynamic; (b) sharing parenting with health care teams; (c) taking on multiple parental roles (emotional parent, caregiver, mediator, child's guide, parent for siblings and leader/coordinator); and (d) developing parenting strategies (mutual support between spouses, anticipation and control strategies, selective distancing and negotiating personal distress).

Conclusion: HaH transforms parenting into a demanding experience that requires constant adjustments. Parenting manifests itself as an ongoing process, not just based on creativity and adaptability, but also marked by a silent vulnerability that highlights the need to fully recognise and support parents.