Abstract:

An ill child and other family members experience numerous consequences of a terminal illness. An ill child experiences total pain in the physical, emotional, social and spiritual sphere of life. The child’s development is affected by the illness which significantly reduces the child’s educational opportunities, imposes various limitations and decreases the child’s cognitive activity. The need for a child to stay in hospital or at home leads to kindergarten or school absenteeism.

It is impossible to completely eliminate an ill child’s suffering and the destructive influence of a terminal illness. However, family members may boost the child’s development and educational process. Support offered by hospice team may help overcome barriers to education of a terminally ill child.

The research indicated that family members supported by home hospice help the child take part in formal education. It revealed the importance of implementing educational aims in home environment. Its practical dimension strengthens the family. Strategies which the family developed to deal with the child’s educational difficulties may be followed by other families facing the child’s terminal illness.

The research was conducted in Poland in 2014-2015. 21 families of terminally ill children were studied. Data was collected according to a qualitative paradigm with the use of grounded theory in a constructivist approach.

Keywords:

Education, ill child, family.