Interactions between parents and staff of hospitalised children

Abstract

The Platt report (Ministry of Health 1959) recommended that hospitals provide for parents to stay with sick children. This review, of how hospitals have or have not followed this guidance, assesses the literature and includes insights into research on the theory of attachment. The authors conclude that, although parents are commonly to be found on wards with sick children, this is not often systematically encouraged or even understood. However, recent initiatives to improve communication between staff and the parents of children admitted to hospital are encouraging.