Mothers' and teachers' experience of school re‐entry after a child's prolonged absence due to severe illness

Integrative review of school integration support following pediatric cancer

PURPOSE

This study aims to understand parents' experiences of school integration support for their child's transition to K-12 schooling during or after cancer treatment.

METHODS

This integrative literature review used PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Embase databases and included articles from January 2000 to July 2022 describing parent experiences with support from healthcare providers, school faculty/systems, and school integration programs. This review was guided by an adapted School Re-Entry Model and used constant comparison to identify common themes and guide synthesis. The Johns Hopkins Evidence and Quality Guide was used to appraise article quality and level of evidence.

RESULTS

Thirty-five articles were included in the final review: seventeen qualitative, fourteen quantitative, and four mixed or multi-method designs. Parents reported experiences receiving support from healthcare providers, school faculty/systems, school integration programs, and "other" sources. Parents reported both facilitators and barriers to communication, knowledge, and the process of receiving school integration support.

CONCLUSIONS

Parents found neuro/psychologists highly supportive but reported limited support from other healthcare providers. Most parents reported mixed experiences with school faculty and reported many barriers to school system support. Parents reported positive experiences with school integration programs; however, limited programs were available.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Future programs and research should focus on addressing identified barriers and facilitators of school integration support. Further work is also needed to understand a wider range of parent experiences during school integration.

"The post-it note just said leukemia" - Information exchange challenges of teachers and local stakeholders supporting young childhood cancer survivors at school - A qualitative study from the Physical Activity and Fitness in Childhood Cancer Survivors (PACCS) group

PURPOSE

Explore teachers', school nurses', cancer coordinators' and other local stakeholders' experiences providing education and support for young childhood cancer survivors in the years after treatment.

METHODS

We conducted four focus groups and three individual telephone interviews with 15 teachers, nine nurses and three other stakeholders, using inductive thematic analysis inspired by Braun & Clark. Nvivo v12 was used for data-management.

RESULTS

Three main themes were developed; "Perceived parent attitudes and facilitation", "The missing link - lack of communication and collaboration", and "Enabling mastery, inclusion and thriving". Parents were perceived to be the sole managers of providing cancer information and school-related follow-up needs. Teachers and other stakeholders experienced the nonexistence of information from specialist healthcare services and poor communication within the municipality. Teachers went to great lengths to meet survivors' pedagogical needs and facilitate peer interactions. Teachers voiced a need for more cancer and late effect knowledge, not being dependent solely on parents' for information.

CONCLUSIONS

Teachers and other stakeholders have essential roles in the continuing school experience for survivors. A more regulated teamwork between the stakeholders in the municipalities and the specialist healthcare system could ensure tailored late effect information at school. Implementing formal support could enable a co-creation of a personalized follow up that could relieve the burden on survivors, parents and teachers.