Bereaved parents’ perspectives of factors influencing decision-making about place of end-of-life care for children with life-limiting, life-threatening conditions: an all-Ireland qualitative study

Selecting a place of end-of-life care and death for a child is a complex and challenging decision for parents. Important factors which influence parental decision-making around choosing home, hospital, or hospice for a child's place of end-of-life care included: considering what would be best for their child; home was most often the first preference for parents, but this could change; that hospital was often the default choice due to lack of communication with parents about their options; and the family unit as a whole, including siblings, was an important factor when parents were making the decision. Our findings highlight that an individualised approach to supporting family's decision-making about place of end-of-life care for their child is required. Early advance care planning could be utilised as an opportunity to begin these conversations.