Children's needs when facing the death of a parent from cancer: part one.

A small exploratory study was conducted to identify the psychosocial needs of children facing the death and subsequent bereavement of a parent from cancer. The focus was on the palliative phase of care through the bereavement period with the aim of identifying the best way forward in further developing a community-based service for children in Fife. This paper selectively reviews the literature related to children's and families' needs when facing and dealing with the death of a parent, bringing into focus some of the work available to inform thinking and planning in this area. It then describes the methods used to conduct this exploratory study and reports the issues which will be considered as a basis for future service development.