ABSTRACT
Identifying and meeting the psychological needs of children and their families can often be a time-consuming process. Whilst inpatient admissions potentially allow time for staff to be able to assess a situation and mobilise the necessary supports, the picture is much more complicated when families are managed on an outpatient basis following discharge. Busy outpatient clinics often seem like the last place where troubled families might feel able to raise concerns. This, coupled with the fact that there is undeniably great time pressures on doctors and others to get though their patient lists, can contribute to a sense of fragmented care, with the psychological challenges of looking after a sick child over-shadowed by physical investigations.
