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In 2019, we led a Lancet series summarising the available evidence on communication with children about the diagnosis of their own life-threatening disease and about a life-threatening disease in a parent.

These papers concluded with a framework of principles, developed by an international expert group, for healthcare professionals supporting communication to families. This was facilitated by a comprehensive literature search of the evidence regarding; what works when communicating about life-threatening illness and death, how to impart this information, children’s developmental understanding of illness and death, and the impact of inadequate communication. The Series including a podcast can be accessed here

Principles for healthcare professionals communicating with children, adolescents and parents about life-threatening conditions

Principles for healthcare professionals communicating with parents and children about parental life-threatening conditions