The Early Days Project
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Early Days Project: parents’ experiences of the early days of bereavement and the support they receive from children’s hospices
IRAS ID
252715
Contact name
Bryony Beresford
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of York
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 1 days
Research summary
The ways parents are supported towards the end and after their child’s life can profoundly affect the grieving process. Within children’s hospices cold bedrooms, cooling blankets, and cuddle cots are provided to enable families to be close and have unrestricted access to their child in the early days after they have died. Such facilities are thought to support families in the initial stages of grief. However there is wide variation in the ways children’s hospice offer such facilities and very little is known about parents’ experiences.
This project will conduct interviews with parents who have used cold bedrooms, cooling blankets, and cuddle cots - either in the hospice or at home - about their experiences of the early days of bereavement. Findings and their implications for practice will be relevant and useful for families, children’s hospices, specialist palliative care and other NHS services who are beginning to offer this provision, NHS England, and the research community.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/YH/0487
Date of REC Opinion
31 Dec 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion